X23: Southern Comfort
by Ninon
Summary: Cannonball and X-23 become well aquainted
1. Chapter 1

X-23: Southern Comfort

Disclaimer:

_The story came about as a result of a discussion I had with some fellow X-23 fans as to who would be the perfect boyfriend for Laura 'X-23' Kinney. For many reasons I came up with Sam 'Cannonball' Guthrie._

_This story is pure speculation on my part as I don't think that Cannonball and X-23 have even been in the same panel in a comic book_

_For the sake of the story and propriety, this story takes place 4 years in the future, Making Laura 20 or 21 years old so she is legally an adult. Laura has pretty much settled into a comfortable life with the X-Men and has learned to be a hero. She's come out of her shell, but has still retained some of her taciturnity, and is still a woman of few words. She's grown a bit and is a bit more sociable. But mostly still remains the character we are familiar with. I have elected to write Cannonball's speech in straight forward English as opposed to the phonetic speech patterns that are used in the comic books to emphasize his Southern drawl._

_As a physical template of Laura Kinney I am using model Miranda Kerr. And for a physical template of Sam Guthrie I am using dancer/model Kaleb Art.X-23, Cannonball etc. are all properties of Marvel comics._

Four years from now….

Sam Guthrie came out of the fitness complex in the basement of 'Graymalkin Industries' and made his way towards the elevators. It was Saturday morning and he had just completed his two hours of heavy power lifting, which he did every other day. He glanced at his reflection located in one of the display cabinets and shook his head with wonderment. He was sure that no one he had gone to high school with back in Kentucky would recognize him if they saw him today. Sam was no longer a long lanky string bean. Now he was so buff and muscular that he could easily grace the cover of _Muscle Fitness_ magazine.

Now that he had finished his workout, he was going to change get a bite to eat and drive into San Francisco with Bobby Drake for an afternoon of rest and relaxation. But the chief goal was to hit the bars down by the wharf and see about meeting girls which was their ritual every weekend. Sam had really lucked out last weekend, he had met a pair of sisters visiting from Denmark. After about an hour of flirting and putting up with a bad imitation of his Southern drawl. They had taken him back to their hotel room. Sam used to have dreams like this when he was 15 years old. He had spent the entire weekend holed up in their hotel room downing alcohol and taking turns screwing each girl. He did not know what it was like in Denmark but both girls were insatiable. They had practically worn him out and Sam had to sneak off in the middle of the night while they were sleeping to escape them.

Sam did not end up returning to Graymalkin until the following Monday morning, hung over and covered in love bites. He had run into Remy 'Gambit' LeBeau on this way up to his bedroom. Gambit had examined Sam's state and shook his head in amazement and Gambit told him that he was taking over his reputation as the X-Men's chief ladies man.

Sam wished. He might be a good looking country boy. But he had none of the Cajun's charm and smooth way with women.

Sam had just reached the elevators when heard a huge commotion behind him. He turned and found Julian 'Hellion' Keller was standing in the middle of the hallway, yelling at Laura 'X-23' Kinney. Keller was one of the teams Telekentics. Meaning he could move objects with his mind. He was also capable of unleashing telekinetic bursts of energy from his hands, which it seemed he was about to do right now.

Kellers' fists were glowing a bright green symbolizing that he was to unleash a telekinetic blast.

"Why do you have to ruin everything!" he screamed at her.

"I am just trying to help you," Laura explained in a consoling voice.

"Don't you get it yet! I don't want your help! Why do you always have to be Little Miss Perfect and try and save me?"

"Hey, Hey," Sam said striding up to them, "Keller, lower your voice. That's no way to speak to a lady."

"Oh fuck off Hayseed, this is none of your business," Keller snapped glancing at Sam.

Sam could feel his blood boil. All his life living in the hills of Kentucky he and his family had been dismissed and written off as white trash. Even now as an adult the moniker still stung and hurt.

"Julian please.." Laura pleaded touching him on the shoulder.

"Just leave me alone Laura!" Keller yelled slapping her hand away and unleashing a telekinetic blast that sent her flying hard against the wall. Sam was on him like a tiger. He grabbed Keller by the back of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. He had wanted to do this to Keller the moment he had met him. He didn't like the spoilt Beverly Hills brat.

"Touch her again, I'll kill you," Sam said fiercely. Keller pushed him away and tried to hit him with a psionic blast but Sam blocked it with his own blast field.

"Step away Keller and cool down. That's an order," Sam said his voice hard.

"You don't give me orders." Keller spat.

"Oh yeah I do," Sam replied, "I'm a senior X-Men. And I am ordering you right now to cool down. Or do you want take this outside?"

For a moment it looked as if the brat was going to take him up on his offer. But he relented.

"Oh fuck the both of you," he said turning around and stalking off.

Sam watched him depart and did not lower his blast field until the boy had turned the corner. He then turned to Laura who by this time had regained her composure. The expression on her face was hard to read. What was it? Curiosity? Amazement?

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

She nodded.

"Are you sure?" he asked again, he could feel his blood ready to explode. He had really wanted to kill Keller. He'd have to talk with Cyclops about this when he got back from his trip.

She nodded again, the expression on her face solemn.

"Look," Sam said an idea coming into his head, "I was planning on going down to the wharf for the afternoon. You wanna come?"

"Okay", she said her face brightening.

"Great," Sam said meet me down by the garage in about 30 minutes. Mines the red Ford pick up."

"Okay," she said again, "I will change and meet you inside the garage in half an hour."

Sam went into the kitchen ate a plate of scrambled eggs and downed a cup of black coffee and went up towards his room to shower and change. But first he had something else to do.

Sam tapped on Bobby Drakes room door. After a couple of seconds the door opened and there was Bobby Drake a towel wrapped around his waist.

"What's up?" Bobby asked, "I was just about to take a shower. Can I borrow some of your cologne? That stuff you wore last week that drove that Jessica chick crazy?"

"Yeah no problem," Sam said, "Look man. There's been a change of plans. I want to take someone along on our trip."

"Who?" Bobby asked curiously.

"Laura."

"You mean X-23?" Bobby asked incredulously.

"Yes, X-23."

"Why?" Bobby exploded.

"For Gods' sake keep you voice down!"

"Why?" Bobby asked again softly.

"Because she's upset."

"That Ice Princess? How can you tell, The expression on her face hardly ever changes."

"And you wonder why you have such a hard time with women," Sam said disgusted.

"I don't feel like chaperoning one of the X babies."

"She's not an X-baby. Not anymore. She's over 21."

"Whatever. She's still a kid. And I don't feel like spending some time with her. She's creepy. And then there's Wolverine. He's so over protective of her it's not funny. He'll cut your balls off if he even sees you looking at her."

"Don't be dumb. Nothings gonna happen And we're just going out for a good time. It's the X-Men having some down time."

"We were going out for more than just some down time Sam and you know it. And with Kinney hanging about we won't be able to do anything."

"Look, I've made up my mind I'm taking her into town for the afternoon and that's my final decision. If you want to go out drinking and cruising girls. Go round up some of the other guys. I'm sure that they'll be happy to accompany you."

"You're no fun," Bobby groused.

"Not my middle name," Sam said.

"You're making a mistake man."

"I'll get over it," Sam said turning to leave.

"Don't forget the cologne!"

Sam showered and changed into a pair of faded blue jeans, a black t-shirt, black windbreaker and a pair of Harley Davidson Motorcycle boots, (a gift from Cable). Then grabbing the keys to his truck he headed towards the garage. Sam went over the conversation with Bobby in his mind. Bobby as usual was just making a mountain out of a mole hill. It would just be a harmless day of fun. He was just being a gentleman cheering up a younger woman the same way he had done for Paige after she had a dust up with one of her boyfriends. Besides Sam could do with a day of harmless of fun, without the usual male posturing and the pressure to 'score' at the end of the evening. Sure last weekend with the Danish girls had been fun, and it flattered Sam to have to two women at the same time. But sometimes he just longed to be in a relationship with a girl who was stable and liked him for himself.

Yeah the time spent with Laura Kinney would be just harmless fun.

Nothing bad could come from this.

Sam found Laura in the garage leaning against his pick up truck. She was wearing black jeans, a red T-shirt, black gothic boots, and an oversized brown leather jacket with two stripes along the arms. Sam was certain that he had seen Wolverine wearing the same jacket years ago. He didn't think that he had ever seen her in a dress. But despite the fact she dressed like a tom boy. She still managed to look feminine. She straightened up when she saw him approach. The expression on her face was one of anxiety.

"Ready to go?" he asked smiling at her.

"Yes," she said, "Samuel-."

"Sam," he corrected her. The only person who called him Samuel was his mother, otherwise he hated the moniker, "Only my Mom calls me Samuel."

"Sam" Laura said correcting herself, "I hope that I'm not inconveniencing you. If you have other plans…"

"Naw, not at all," he said, "Actually you're doing me a favour."

"I am?" Laura asked surprised, "How?"

"Well to tell you the truth. I could do with a relaxing Saturday afternoon."

"And that wouldn't happen if I am not there?"

"No with the guys that I hang out with. It's usually more work than anything else. All the male posturing and competing." Sam trailed off, "It would be nice just to kick back once in awhile and have a relaxing Saturday afternoon."

They climbed into Sam's truck and made their way to San Francisco proper. It was a warm spring day and the sun was warmer than normal. Fortunately the roads were relatively clear and they made good time.

"So Laura, tell me a little about yourself," Sam said after they had driven for awhile.

"There isn't much to tell," she replied, "I am just an X-Man like you. Trying to defend a world that hates and fears me."

"Oh come on," Sam scoffed, "There must be more to you than just being part of our crazy team."

"I'm a student," she replied.

"Oh yeah?" he asked surprised.

"Yes. I'm doing my final year at the University of California at Berkley."

"What are you studying?"

"I'm majoring in psychology..with some additional studies in history."

"Oh. Why psychology?" he asked.

"My main aim is to be a teacher," she said.

"You mean you want to teach a bunch of kids?"

"Sort of," Laura said thoughtfully, "But I am primarily interested in helping children with special needs."

"You mean like mutants?"

"Well yes mutant children. But I am also open to helping non mutants as well."

"Why?"

"Childhood can be a difficult and traumatic time," Laura eased off and added, "I just want to help others that is all."

"That's mighty big of you," Sam said not disguising his admiration, "My sister Joelle is at USC right now. She's there on a gymnastic scholarship. Is there a reason you decided to Berkley? I thought that you would have gone Stanford."

"Actually I didn't decide on Berkeley."

"No? "

"No. Ms. Frost and Cyclops decided that I should upgrade my education. They actually decided that we should all get some kind of post secondary education. They just thought that I should go to university and get a degree. Berkley is the best school in the area. It allows me to pursue my education while still being able to function as an X-man."

"Yeah the Professor is really great with that. He thought that we should be more than just a bunch of joy ridding and showboating yahoos. He made sure that any New Mutant who wanted to. Could upgrade their post secondary education if they wanted," Sam paused and added, "I was the first Guthrie who attended college."

Laura looked at him and smiled in understanding.

"Well I first started off by doing correspondence courses," he continued, "But I did my last two years at Pace University in Westchester."

"What did you study?"

"Biology and chemistry."

"You're a scientist?"

"Funny I know for a redneck from Kentucky," Sam said not without a hint of bitterness.

"I didn't mean to imply…" Laura stammered.

"Naw, naw it's just me. I'm just joshing," Sam replied smiling at her apologetically. He had not meant to sound so harsh, it was just that he was used to being dismissed as stupid because of his Kentucky upbringing.

"Why did you take biology and chemistry?" she asked.

"I've always been interested in science and the way that nature works. I grew up on a farm. So it's neat so see how everything connects together."

"My mother was a scientist…," Laura said staring out the window.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes. She was a geneticist."

"And what happened to her?"

"She passed away," Laura said stiffly. Sam glanced at her, but did not press the point. He knew how raw the emotions that came from the death of a parent could be. Until this day he still carried the death of his father with him. Sam changed the subject.

"Do you often come into San Francisco?"

"I used to when we first moved out to the East Coast years ago. The others…mostly the girls and I used to come down here to shop and to hang around. But when I started University and was promoted to leader Alpha Team I cut down on visits to San Francisco. I just found that I did not have the time. And the city is mostly over run with tourists during warmer weather."

"You don't like tourists?" Sam asked, he briefly thought back to his last weekend with the Danish sisters.

Laura shrugged.

"It is not that I don't like them. It is just that sometimes their behaviour can be…overwhelming. I am not that fond of crowds."

"Well it's only March," Sam said, "I don't think that we'll run into too many of them right now."

"No March isn't a peak tourist time," she said turning to him with a small smile, "I am guessing that you come down here often?"

"Well yeah," Sam said. He really didn't want to get into what exactly what he did when he came into the city, "But not to sight see. When I come down I usually only come down to party with the other guys. We hit the bars and clubs. It helps us to unwind after tough missions."

"I understand," Laura replied, "We do the same thing as well."

She did not bother to add that her coming into town was more of a way to act as a chaperone to the other girls who were less mature and had little impulse control. Megan was the worst, she had just turned eighteen and seemed to be obsessed with drinking and college boys.

"I guess that I never really thought of seeing the city before," Sam said.

"If you like I can show you around," Laura said.

"That would be nice," Sam said brightening up. They were just crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to enter the city proper, "You probably know the city better than I do."

"I know it well enough," Laura said smiling at him.

"Where should we begin?"

Laura stopped and thought for a moment.

"If we start at the Heights..then we can circle the city. And see some of the out of way places that are not frequented by tourists."

"Okay."

Sam parked his truck in public parking lot located near Union Square. Not knowing how long they would be he paid to park for a full day.

"Have you been to Union Square?" she asked.

"Oh sure plenty of times," Sam said, "I've come down here for concerts and stuff like that. But the place is too crowded for my tastes."

"That is because it tends to attract tourists. If you do not like crowds then, we should see the Haight-Ashbury part of the city first. Before the crowds begin to form."

They caught one of the municipal busses that went up Haight-Ashbury region and disembarked at Filmore and Haight . Haight St. had once been a part of the cities renowned city Hippie movement.

Sam looked around with a hint of trepidation.

"Wow..I don't think I ever came up around here," Sam said, "Isn't this part of the city where Hippies hang out?"

"They used to. This is what is known as Upper Haight which is a bit more gentrified. The 'hippies' are a bit more in the western part of the city known as Lower Height. My cousine liked hanging around in the Upper Height area of the city.

"I didn't know that you had a family," he said.

Laura shrugged.

"I did," she said, "They used to live across the city. I lived with them for a short time."

"Used to?"

"Yes," Laura said shortly, "But they had to move."

"Why?"

"My Aunts job transferred her."

"Where did they move to?"

"Canada," Laura said.

"Didn't you feel like joining them?"

"No," Laura said, "My place is with the X-Men. How about your family?"

"My family is in Kentucky," Sam said, "I come from a small mining town called Cumberland."

"I have never been to that part of the country."

"Didn't think so. It's mostly rural," Sam laughed, "But it's really beautiful."

They spent about an hour wandering around the stores on Haight St. Including dipping into Villains-Vault where Sam bought a pair of 30 old button up Levi's and Groove Merchant where they bought a few old CD's. Approaching mid-day, they took their wares and stopped in at the Squat and Gobble Café. They ordered crepes and omelets and coffee.

"So you have been with the X-Men a long time?" Laura asked.

"Yeah," Sam said, "Ever since I was a teenager."

"You were recruited by…?"

"Professor Xavier," Sam said shortly. He hoped that Laura did not want to get into it with him any further. While he was proud of being an X-Men. The way he had come into joining their ranks was not exactly his finest moment. He switched the subject.

"I am surprised that we never ever go to know each other before now," Sam said.

"Well you are on another team."

"Still that's no excuse," Sam trailing off, "But I do get the impression that you're…kept busy."

"Well yes," Laura said, "There are my studies and extracurricular activities."

"What extracurricular activities are those?"

"I help out at woman's shelter in San Francisco and I am the captain of the women's fencing team at Berkley."

"You're kidding?" Sam asked surprised.

"No," Laura said, "I am not."

She didn't bother to add that she was in the running for a scholarship to several prestigious graduate schools and many of them required involvement in extracurricular activities. She was going to take martial arts, but she realized that it might draw the wrong kind of attention.

"Wow that's incredible," Sam said.

Laura shrugged, "I like being busy."

"I'll say! Then there's your activities as an X-man. You lead your own team."

"Yes I do. Much like you."

"But you're on X-Force too right?"

"Yes I am. But only as a back up measure," Laura replied, "You were part of X-Force once too were you not?"

"Yeah I was. A long time ago," Sam said.

"Often I am a bit puzzled," Laura replied.

"About what?"

"How the X-men work together. I mean the nature of the relationships between the X-Men is turbulent. Members often seem to spend more time fighting each other than their enemies."

"That's what you get when you get a bunch of 'A types' working together."

"What are A types?" Laura said.

"You know…egotistic people."

"Oh," Laura said.

"But I have to tell you," Sam said, "I don't think that I would have it any other way."

"How so?"

"Well I figure that it's the demanding personalities that makes it all work. No way could being a slacker work as an X-Men. You need some kind of drive and ambition to get things done."

"Yes that is right," Laura said, "Or a strong sense of duty."

"Uh-huh," Sam said, "That too."

"Though I have often wondered…."

"Wondered about what?"

"Well why we…they don't take their powers to use for other purposes."

"Such as?"

"Well you know profit?"

"Then they would be bad guys."

"Not necessarily. They could use it for the greater good. I mean like working on the governments payroll."

"Nu-uh," Sam said shaking his head and sliding down further into his chair.

"Why not?"

"Government being in charge of superheroes is a bad idea. They would have too much control over us. Look at what happened in Civil War. And don't get me started on what they've tried to do to mutants."

"I see your point."

"Domino told me that S.H.E.I.L.D. does have some metas. But I think for the most part, most superheroes would rather work freelance. You know how much A types hate taking direction."

"Yes," Laura said smiling.

Sam decided that he liked it when she smiled. The expression on her face was completely different and her green eyes lit up. Sam almost felt as if he could get lost in them.

"But to tell you the truth I wouldn't even profit from my powers even if I could. The professor told us that our powers are a gift. No matter what the anti-mutant haters say. It's a privalage to be a mutant. And my powers are supposed to be used to help others. Especially those who can't help themselves."

They were soon startled by the sound of a boisterous crowd entering the restaurant.

"I said that this place is getting crowded. Are you ready to leave?" Laura asked him.

"Yeah I am."

Laura gestured to the server for the bill. When he came over and placed it on the table. Sam quickly snatched it up before Laura could retrieve it.

"I'll take this," he said and began to reach for his wallet in his back pocket.

"Sam that is not necessary," she said, "I can pay for my meal."

"I know," he said gallantly, "It' just that this is my day to treat you."

Laura merely smiled.

They left the restaurant and headed north to the Upper Height area of the city. Which as Laura had said was mostly filled with hippies. Sam was startled by the amount of buskers and pandhandlers on the street. Not to mention the people in their odd get ups. To Sams surprise Laura stopped and talked to a few of them. One was a grizzled old woman who wore a purple dress and a bowler hat with a space cut out for a flower.

Laura asked her how she was doing.

The woman mentioned something about her arthritis. But said that Beenies would come by and cure her soon. Laura smiled at her and handed her a twenty dollar bill.

"What was that about?" Sam asked.

"She used to teach at an art school where my cousine took classes. But she had to quit her job because she has schizophrenia."

"Wow," Sam said.

"My cousine liked her a lot. Because she was one of the few adults who did not treat my cousine like an outcast or a reject."

"I don't know what that says about your cousine…oh God I'm sorry," Sam stammered.

But Laura ignored the slip.

"She was taking medication while she taught. But I think that her husband left her and she just stopped taking her medication and got fired from her position after she started acting out."

"That must be rough."

"Yes it is," Laura said, "The cities social service agency looks in on her. But mostly it's the cities other transients who look after her. I come along here every once in awhile to see how she is doing."

"That's real big of you."

Laura shrugged.

"I figure that it is what Megan…my cousine would have wanted."

"Do you keep in touch with your family?"

"Not really," Laura said. Sam sense that she was uneasy about the questioning about her family. So he dropped the topic and brought her attention to a man wearing an outlandish outfit.

They then made their way westward to the Castro. Sam was aware of this part of the city, although he had never ventured here before now. The Castro was commonly known as the gay part of San Francisco.

He had nothing against gays personally (so long as they kept their hands to themselves). The X-Men had a few gay members including Karma who was on his team. Still Sam didn't appreciate being sized up like a piece of meat. As they passed a crowded patio café. He heard a group of men let out a stream of wolf whistles directed at him.

"Nice muscles Blondie!" one of them called, "Why don't you come on over here and I'll massage them for you!"

Sam blushed furiously, he NOW remembered why he never came into this part of town. Noticing his discomfiture Laura smiled and wrapped her arm around his.

"I'll protect you Sam," Laura said jokingly.

"Uh..thanks," Sam said sheepishly but he enjoyed the pressure of her arm around his. Sam still received stares of admiration from passers by. But the cat calls and the crude remarks stopped now that they knew that Sam didn't swing their way or was taken. For the first time ever he wondered what it would be like to have Laura Kinney as a girlfriend. Bobby Drake had referred to her as being an 'Ice Princess'. And he wasn't the only guy at Graymalkin who called her that behind her back. It was mostly due her cold and aloof manner. Sam had reluctantly admitted that he had originally found her to be like that as well. But now as Sam got to know her, found that his opinion of her was changing. Sure she didn't laugh or giggle a lot but. But he found that she had her own ideas and could carry on a conversation and pleasant enough. She was smart without being a know it all and she seemed to be genuinely interested in him as a person.

As they moved along the street they passed a large intersection.

"I take it that your cousin liked it down here as well?"

"Yes she did," Laura said, "She felt accepted. The Castro like the Haight has also become a bit gentrified. But still has a unconventional ambiance. But she especially loved to come down here and look at old films at the Castro Theatre."

She gestured to an old cinema to the left of them just up from the intersection where they stood.

"Didn't she have a theatre closer to her home?" Sam asked slightly puzzled.

"Yes," Laura replied, "It is just that the Castro Theatre shows old movies. She liked them because she found them to be more substantive."

"Yeah," Sam said, "My mother likes them too. She finds them more funny and romantic. She's not too crazy about the cussing and the sex in modern films. What kind of movies do you like to see?"

Laura thought for a moment.

"Whenever I've gone to movies in the past with the others and with-," she stopped herself before she could utter Kellers name and Sam almost cursed himself for bringing up the topic. The last thing he wanted was that asshole to darken the mood, "I meant to say that I allow the others to make the decision as to what movies I see."

"But which ones do you enjoy watching?" Sam asked.

"I like comedies," Laura said, "Films that make me laugh and forget my troubles."

"I know how you feel," Sam said, "I like 'em too."

"You do?" Laura asked looking up at him.

"Yeah," he said, "From time to time. But I mostly like science fiction action adventure."

"Maybe you could join us on our next night out."

"Yeah I'd love that," Sam thought. But if he were to take Laura out it would just be the two of them. Not her loud friends and certainly not that creep Keller. Why was he thinking like this?

As they passed the Mission Dolores church, the doors opened and people streamed out from noontime mass.

Sam watched them for an instant. He hadn't attended church in months. In fact the last time Sam had attended a service was the last time he visited his mother in Kentucky. He rarely attended church anymore. He did not have the strength to do so after partying on Saturday nights.

Laura watched him.

"Is this your church?" she asked curiously.

"No…no," Sam said, "Mission Dolores is a Catholic church."

"And you are not Catholic?"

"No Baptist."

"Baptist?"

"It's a Protestant denomination. Christianity is divided into three branches. There's Catholic like this Church, Protestant and then there's Eastern Orthodox which I don't really get."

"Why are you a Baptist?"

"Just the way I was raised I guess," Sam said with a shrug, "My mothers really devout. But I sort of fell off the path when I joined the X-Men."

"So the X-Men made you non religious?"

"No! No!," Sam said, "I didn't mean it like that. No I still believe. It's just with our busy lives and….everything I don't go to Church as much as I used to."

Sam knew that it was a lame excuse not to go to Church. But Laura did not press.

"Are you religious?" Sam asked.

"No," Laura said with a slight frown, "I don't believe.."

"You don't believe in God?" Sam asked.

"It is not something I gave much thought to. I know that others at Greymalkin do. Soorya ..is a Muslim and Rhane always is pleading to God to help her on missions. I studied the effects of religion in my psychology courses. But nothing beyond that."

"So you're skeptical?"

"It just never registered with me," Laura said, "I do not know if there is a God or not. I just believe that we have to be self-reliant."

"Well yeah," Sam said, "We have to do our part. But God will do His part and help us out."

Laura paused and stared at the Church.

"I do not understand how…if this 'God' is supposed to be so powerful. And he is supposed to care about us. Then why he would allow…a child to suffer."

Sam looked at her, completely getting her meaning.

"I know how you feel," Sam said, "I felt mad at God for a bit when my Dad died and we had to struggle financially."

"But your feelings towards Him changed?"

"I just think that everything works out for good in the end."

"That must be strong faith."

"Yeah it is," Sam said grinning.

"You said you like to read?" Laura asked as they proceeded along.

"Yeah."

"The we should visit Aardvarks," she said. Leading him up a nearby street.

"This is probably one of the oldest and most famous bookstores in the city. It specializes in old and hard to find books," Laura said releasing his arm. For some reason Sam felt a slight tinge of regret when she released him. He had loved the floral scent which emanated from her body.

"Is it really?" Sam asked dragging his attention to the store, "I never knew that. I buy most of my books online."

"Would you like to go in and browse?"

"Sure."

They stepped inside and looked around.

"I didn't ask you what you liked to read," Laura said.

"Oh yeah. I like reading a lot of science fiction."

"And why do you like reading science fiction?"

"I guess because it's different," he said, "I guess I liked it at first because it gave me an outlet. Cumberland Kentucky…where I come from is really beautiful. But it's a rural area and can be pretty boring. I guess reading….specifically science fiction gave me an outlet…and allowed me to imagine other places. Even if they don't really exist."

"Well if you enjoy seeing other places then you must enjoy being an X-Man."

"Yeah! Yeah I do," Sam said smiling, "I mean I've seen places I never thought that I would ever seen if I had just stayed back home."

"Any favourite authors?"

"Yeah," he said with a measure of excitement, "I'm a big fan of Robert Heinlan."

He spent the next five minutes telling her about Heinlein's works and the themes of his books. Laura listened with rapt interest. Sam asked one of the store clerks where the science fiction and fantasy section was and after going over there Sam scanned the section until he found the book he was looking for. He pulled it down off the shelf and showed it to Laura.

"This is my favourite book by him," he said without disguising his excitement.

"And why is that?" Laura asked.

"Because it discusses a great deal about being responsible, doing your duty and protecting people who are weaker than you are."

"You mean like the X-Men?" Laura asked.

"That's right," Sam said, "I read the book back in high school and it is the first book that I read by him. I just found that I could identify with the lead character Thorby It's not his most popular novel. But it probably is my favourite and most influential one. I re-read it every year. What do you like to read?"

"I don't generally read for pleasure," Laura replied, "Most of my reading involves my studies."

"And that would be?"

"Psychology and sociology text books."

She did not bother to add that psychology text books were a welcome change from the books on military and martial arts she was forced to study and devour when she was at Facility such as Von Clausewitz, Machiavelli, Miyamoto Musashi and of course Sun Tzu. Not to mention books on military greats such as Napoleon, Julius Ceasar and Alexander the Great. By time she was 10 she knew very well almost every method there was to strategize, deceive and manipulate others. She was grateful that being with the X-Men gave her a chance to put all of these skills to good use.

"So you know how to read people?" Sam asked.

"I would say understand them better…" Laura corrected him.

"So what do you read into me?" Sam asked putting the book back on the shelf and turning to Laura.

"You have a lot of inner strength, dependable and are supportive," she said.

"Aw come on," Sam said blushing, "You're only saying that."

"No I am not."

"And what would you see my on my dark side?" he asked crossing his arms.

"On the negative side I guess I see that you are a bit temperamental and have a hard time being moved from an opinion once it's made up."

Sam blushed slightly.

"That's what my Mom says. She says that I'm stubborn as a mule."

They left the shop and made their way towards the Mission District. The Mission district was famous for it's large Hispanic community and decorative murals that lined the streets. As well as rows of Thrift Shops. They stopped outside one called Idol Vintage.

"This was my cousins favourite store. Megan and Nori like shopping here as well."

"Can't see why."

"What do you mean?"

"Well why in the world would someone want to wear old clothes?"

"Well," Laura began, "I guess that they like the appeal to another time period, when the clothes were more unique and more durable. Many of the clothes today do not have that same durability as the old ones and the style design is different."

"I don't know about that," Sam said, "The 501's I bought five years ago hardly have a hole in them."

Sam didn't bother to mention that his family had been so poor and so in need of funds, especially after the death of his dad, that they were forced to get their clothes from donations from the local Church. The experience shamed Sam so much that he refused to wear anything second hand ever again. Sam didn't want to go inside. But Laura was already pulling the door open. He followed her. Sam looked around briefly, he expected the store to look dingy and musty. But it actually was very clean and very neat. His eye caught a jacket hanging on the wall. He immediately walked over to it.

"This is cool," he said looking at a large circa World War II red leather sheep skin bomber jacket, "It would go well with my old goggles."

Sam flipped the sales tag and whistled.

"Whoa. But that price tag is too rich for me." He turned to a rack full of old rock T-shirts.

"But maybe one of these old rock t-shirts would be great….I loved the Grateful Zombies when I was growing up. I always wanted to see them. Not that they ever came to Kentucky…"

Laura stared at the Bomber jacket for a moment, and while Sam's attention was still focused on the clothing rack. Laura took out her credit card and silently gestured to a nearby sales clerk who understood her meaning and reached for her credit card and the jacket. Sam purchased two rock shirts and they made their way back out onto the street and continued eastward.

As they approached Potrero Hill, Laura's gait began to falter.

"Something wrong?" Sam asked puzzled turning to face her.

"No," she replied, "My aunt used to live up there. It's just mostly residential housing and family dwellings. Nothing substantive to see really."

Sam could tell by the tone in her voice that she felt that the exact opposite was the case. It might lack substance to others but it held a great deal of meaning for her.

"You sure?" Sam asked, "We can just take a quick look if you like."

For a moment Sam thought that she was going to say no. But she nodded.

"Okay," she said. They made their way slowly up the hill. Potrero Hill was distinctly different from The Mission. It was cleaner and wider with the houses standing neatly apart and the lawns well manicured.

"Now this I could settle down in," Sam said looking at the houses.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's not like the frea-I mean eccentric like the rest of the city. I could see settling down here if I wanted to live in San Francisco. I can see why you felt at home here."

Laura nodded as they turned onto a side street that swept down into a hill. Almost slowly as if in a trance she made her way down the street. Sam followed at a brief distance, for the first time studying her gait and the way she carried herself. He noticed for the first time that she seemed to walk on the balls of her feet. Like a dancer, or like a cat. It wasn't the haughty supermodel/Hollywood starlet strut which was the way most of the women in the superhero business moved (sometimes being around them he felt as if he were in a giant fashion show). It was very feline, slow and languorous and very dangerous. Sam felt an all too familiar sexual stirring inside of him…as well as something else.

He had been staring at her so long that he almost bumped into her when she suddenly stopped stopped. But he caught himself and looked up in the direction she was looking. It was a nice two story house, and while it as designed similarly to the other houses around it. It looked much newer as if it had been constructed long after them.

Laura stared at it for a long time.

"Is this where you lived?" he asked gently.

Laura nodded wordlessly.

"You miss them don't you?" he asked.

"Yes I do," she replied her lip began to quiver slightly.

"I know how you feel," Sam said, "I miss my family all the time as well."

"Do you visit them often?" she asked turning to him Sam could see that her eyes had been red. As if she were almost ready to cry.

"My family? Oh yeah every chance I get. I try and make it back to Kentucky once a month. But it often doesn't work out that way. So it's about every six weeks. I stay with my Mom for a few days and help out on the farm."

"Your family has a farm?"

"Yep. It's not as big as it used to be. A lot of land was sold over the years. And it wasn't enough to support a family. That's why my Dad took a job in the mines."

"Does he still work there?"

"No," Sam said tightly, "He died when I was a kid."

"I'm sorry."

"Aw naw," he said dismissively despite the tightness in his chest, "It was a long time ago. You know if you miss your family so much. You should go and visit them."

"No I can't," she said her voice trembling a bit.

Sam could have kicked himself for bringing it up. He knew full well that many mutants could not go home again after their mutation was known. Many of them were rejected by their families and could not go home. Though Sam suspected that wasn't quite the case with Laura. He guessed that there was something else going on. Something more deeper and more painful. Part of him longed to know what it was. He was seeing a different…and a more vulnerable side of Laura Kinney that he had never seen before and he was glad that he had asked her out on this days excursion. He now knew that she was way more than just an 'Ice Princess'. Still he did not want to be the cause of her pain.

He placed a comforting arm around her slim shoulders held her close and Laura leaned in to him. As if she relished her strength.

"Come on," he said, "Let's get a drink at that coffee shop over there."

They stopped at Chatz and bought a couple Smoothies. Sam told her a funny story about his early days with the New Mutants. It made Laura laugh and her spirits rose. She suggested that they catch one of the street cars from Portero Hill through South of Market to China Town.

China Town was one of San Francisco's main landmarks and a tourist hub. However both Sam and Laura were aware that the part of China Town that was an attraction to tourists, was different to the one frequented by the locals. Knowing that Sam would most likely not want to see the part of China Town frequented by tourists. She a gently touched Sam on his right hand signaling him to turn on to Stockton street. For some reason Sam jumped in surprise, even though they were being jostled by people all around them. Her touch on his skin was something else. Sam wondered what it would feel like to feel her bare skin against his. Why was he thinking like this? She was a fellow X-Man and he barely knew her. He closed his eyes to banish the thought.

"I am sorry," Laura said, "Did I startle you?"

"No," Sam said looking into her eyes, "Not all. I was just day dreaming."

"Are you bored?"

"No! Of course not. I was just thinking to the last time I visited Hong Kong. The food man…didn't sit well with me. I'd take a big juicy burger any day of the week."

"Would you really," Laura said, "I would having gown up on a farm you would have eaten a lot of beef."

Sam could not help but smile wryly. It was a common misconception that people on farms had an abundance of food and were well fed. Sam knew the opposite to be just the case.

"We didn't have much livestock," Sam told her, "Oh we had some animals, mostly chickens and pigs. But we mostly just grew vegetables which we sold to the local grocery stores in nearby towns. But truth be told it was mostly just a side income for my Dad. We only had about thirty acres. It was fair but not enough to support a family and pay bills. It's one of the reasons why my Dad ended up working in the mines."

"I see," Laura said.

"My Mom even took a part time job as cashier at the grocery store on weekends," Sam stopped himself, "Sorry I didn't mean to depress you."

"No that's okay," Laura replied, "I like hearing about you and your background."

"What do you like to eat?" Sam asked.

"I am not a fussy eater," Laura said, "But since joining the X-men I began to adopt the diet of some of the older women."

"You mean no carbs and no sugar?" Sam asked.

"Yes. But I also eat organically."

"I didn't think that with your healing factor you had to eat clean."

"My healing factor means that I can heal quickly from fatal injuries. But it doesn't mean that I won't gain weight if I don't eat carefully."

"Feel like cheating today?" he asked.

Laura smiled.

"I already did this morning and with the smoothies."

"Then we might as well make it an even three," Sam grinned, "Have you thought about dinner? There are some fantastic restaurants around here."

"I am not in much of a mood for Chinese," she said wrinkling her nose slightly, "There are some nice Italian restaurants in North Beach that I would like to try-."

Laura broke off mid sentence and before Sam knew it she was breaking away from him and racing through the throngs of people towards a group of four boys.

All four of them were of Asian descent and they were dressed like gang bangers. Sam saw that they were closely following on the heels of a white elderly couple who looked distinctly out of place in the area. One of them was brandishing a sharp edged military styled knife.

Before he could reach up and slice the woman's purse strings. Laura grabbed him his arm and delivered a sharp blow to his face and he staggered backwards. The second and third man came at her. The first one she kicked in the crotch the second one she punched in the face. She could hear the sound of the fourth one coming at her and she dropped to her knees and went flying over her onto the ground. The knife wielder by this time had regained his composure and had risen to attack her but Sam tackled him to the ground. He mercilessly began to pound him in the face.

"How about I teach you how to treat a lady!" Sam snarled raising his fist to hit the guy again.

"Sam!" Laura shouted at him. He stopped and looked up at her. She shook her head no.

Sam rose to his feet rushed over to Laura's side and helped her to her feet. The woman who had been the target of the robbers looked at Laura shocked.

"Oh my God how did you do that?"

"Krav Maga lessons," Laura said with a shrug.

"Come on," Sam said taking Laura by the elbow. The cops were on their way and Sam didn't feel like spending the rest of the afternoon giving a statement. He led her up the side of a narrow alley away from the crowds. Laura turned to look at him and stopped him.

"You are hurt," she said stepping up to him concerned.

"It's just a scratch," Sam said looking down at his side there was a long red slash down the side of his stomach from where the thug had slashed him. Fortunately his skin had not broken, "But the shirt is ruined."

"I will buy you another one," she offered.

"No that's okay Laura," Sam said with a smile, "I'll just wear the one I bought at that second hand shop. He stepped into the shadow of nearby alley, handed Laura his windbreaker, and then stripped off his torn t-shirt. He was oblivious to the way that Laura's gaze lingered on his chiseled torso. He then reached into his shopping bag and took out the Grateful Zombies T-shirt and put it on.

"See?" Sam said, "How do I look?"

"You look fine."

"Great!" Sam replied he took his windbreaker from Laura, trashed the torn T-shirt and they made their way to Nob Hill.

North Beach was mostly known for it's shopping and being part of the cities 'Little Italy'. Sam had been to this part of town before, mostly to dine and a few times to visit the strip clubs on Broadway. But he didn't bother to disclose this information to Laura. The part of the city was also famous for many Italian restaurants. Laura led Sam to Ristorante Ideale on Grant St.

The restaurant was not that crowded and Sam and Laura were quickly shown to a table along side the wall by one of the servers and given menus.

"Why don't I let you order," Sam said.

"Okay," Laura said.

She gestured to the server and told him that they would start off with an antipasti salad for both of them, and a half a bottle of Rosso Barbera. Then as the main dish Sam ordered veal loin over creamy polenta, chanterelles and veal sweetbread. And Laura ordered a grilled short rib of American Kobe beef with baby squashes and horse radish essence. They both passed on desert, although Sam ordered a glass of whisky and Laura ordered another half bottle of wine.

"Do you have any plans for the future?" Sam asked taking a sip of his whisky.

"What do you mean?" Laura asked startled.

"I mean after you finish with the X-Men."

"I wasn't aware that there was some sort of term limit to working with the X-men," Laura said with a brief frown.

"There isn't," Sam replied, "What I meant was that when you get older you might want to do other things."

"I had never given it much thought," Laura said, "I mean apart from eventually getting a PHD and teaching. I have not considered having a life outside of the X-Men."

She paused for a moment and asked.

"I take it that you have?"

"Oh year sure," Sam said enthusiastically, "I'm thinking another five years when I'm thirty or so. I'll be ready to move on. Not to say that I won't to help out when needed. But I want to do other stuff."

"Such as?" Laura asked.

"I have a plot of land in Kentucky. I bought it with the money that I earned while I was with X-Corp. It's really beautiful, Laura. You'd love it."

"I am sure that I would," Laura replied.

"Maybe I'll get a chance to show it to you one day."

"I would like that very much," Laura said softly.

"Right now I lease the land to a nearby farmer. But it has an old farm house on it. It's made out of stone and was built shortly after the civil war. I spent a whole summer fixing it up and fixing up the barn that was on the property. One day," Sam voice trailed off as he tapped the table with excitement, "One day..one day I'm going to move in there and start a family."

For some reason this made Laura perk up.

"You mean you want a wife and children?"

"Well yeah," Sam said with an obvious shrug.

"So then you are involved with someone?" she asked taking him somewhat by surprise.

"No," Sam said. He thought back to the last woman he dated. If you wanted to call that dating. When they had not been fighting then it was just sex. He wouldn't have exactly classified it as being a healthy relationship, "I'm single."

"I am surprised," she said.

"Oh and why is that?" he asked taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Well you are very attractive. I thought that with your looks and your build you would have a girlfriend."

Sam paused for a moment. He was speechless.

"You certainly don't mix words."

"I am sorry," Laura said looking down at her wine for a moment, "I should not be so blunt. Cessily is trying to teach me to be more tactful."

"Hey it's okay," Sam said, "I like you being straight forward."

"You do?" she asked surprised looking up at him.

"Yeah," he replied, "There's no bull-there's no games with you."

"Thank you for saying that," she said, "It is the only way I know how to be. Not everyone appreciates it."

"Well I do," Sam said leaning across the table to look at her, "Especially when a woman who tells me that I'm attractive."

Laura blushed.

"Hey made you blush. I don't think that I have ever seen you do that before."

"I…I," she stammered.

"Hey relax," he said reaching across the table and squeezing her hand. It was like a wave of electricity passing through them. Laura quickly removed her hands.

"Do you…work out often?" she asked changing the subject.

"Every other day," he said, "For awhile I was thinking of going pro. But duties with the X-Men were too hectic. So I gave it up."

"Turning pro?"

"Becoming a professional body builder."

"Why did you want to become a professional body builder?"

"I like weight lifting and the whole process of building your body and making it stronger. But it didn't work out," Sam shrugged, "I was too busy with the X-Men."

"But there are other benefits."

"Such as?"

"Well enabling you to attract the attention of the others."

"Huh?"

"That group of women who just arrived," Laura said gesturing with her chin, Sam glanced over his shoulder and saw a party of about four women at a nearby table. One of them was openly staring at him. When her eyes met Sam's the turned away, "They have been staring at you all evening. They are attracted to you. That must be a fringe benefit of lifting weight."

"Well it helps," Sam said, "I mean better than having a beer gut. But I am nowhere as lucky as some men."

"Like who?"

"Well Remy for instance," Sam said, "He can charm almost any woman."

"I like Gambit," Laura admitted, "But I like you better."

Laura found Gambit handsome and charming. But she knew that his present interest in her was as a sexual conquest. Almost from the moment she turned 18 he had started flirting with her… though after a few months he had cooled off (she suspected that Wolverine had told him to stop). Despite Gambit's 'committed' relationship with Rogue. Laura knew that Gambit had a propensity to sleep with other women. He was wise enough to keep his dalliances outside of the X-Men. There was no point in word getting back to Rogue. Though Laura suspected Rogue already knew and just turned a blind eye to his activities. As long as the Cajun was discreet and treated her well she probably did not care.

Sam blushed.

"Gee Laura that's the kindest thing I have heard in awhile," he said, "I mean you aren't just saying that because I took you out?"

"No I mean it," Laura said becoming flustered, "You are different, you treat a woman as if you care. Your interest is genuine and sincere."

She stopped.

"Sorry I should not have said that again," she stammered.

"Easy," he said placing a large hand over hers again this time Laura did not remove her hands. Both of them stared into each others eyes for a long time.

"My interest in you is genuine Laura. Because I am genuinely interested in you."

"Are you really?"

"Yes I am," Sam replied firmly.

"I would have thought that you would have found me….boring."

"Why? Because you're quiet?"

"Yes."

"You know Laura," Sam said leaning partly over the table, "Contrary to what you see in comedies. Not all men like crazy chatty women."

"They don't?" Laura asked, she thought back to all the times when Julian had admonished her to not be so serious and uptight.

"No," Sam said, "And you certainly aren't boring. You brought up a lot of interesting things that I normally hear I really enjoyed our time out today."

"All of it?"

"Yes," Sam replied. He then smiled, "Including the fight. You really can kick some tail."

"He should not have attacked me like that," Laura said with a slight frown.

"He..they were a bunch of knuckle heads high on crystal meth," Sam said, "They weren't thinking straight. If they were they wouldn't have gone after you to begin with. I'm just glad that you didn't…" Sam did not finish the sentence but Laura knew he was referring to unleashing her claws.

"Well the Professor said that there shouldn't be any flaunting of powers outside of costume."

"True."

"Although Steve Rogers was able to get me a presidential pardon for may past…crimes. There are still people who would want to exact revenge on me. I am very careful about when and in what situations I draw my claws in. Besides I really did not really need to extend my claws to take down those thugs," Laura said, "And you were there to help me."

"I'd never let them hurt you," Sam said fiercely. Sam was taken back by his own emotions.

"Thank you Sam," Laura replied, "And I would have done the same for you. We are both X-Men."

"I saw you sparing one day with Betsy," Sam said changing the subject, "You really held your own against her."

"I will take that as a compliment," Laura said, "Elisabeth is a worthy opponent. She doesn't give much quarter."

"I suspect that neither do you."

"I was brought up to win at all costs."

"Really?"

"Yes," Laura replied taking a sip of her wine and thinking back to all the times at the Facility when she had gotten hit for not succeeding in an assignment or training, "At first it was to avoid..being reprimanded. But then as I got older it was out of a sense of duty… and."

"Pride?" Sam asked. He thought about her somewhat haughty attitude.

"Yes," she replied

"I know how you feel," he said, "I hate loosing."

"It's something we both have in common," she said brightly.

"So what do you do for fun? I mean besides taking tours of San Francisco?" Sam asked changing the subject.

"Fun?"

"Yeah fun," Sam said, "I mean what do you do when you aren't studying or saving the world."

"Well," Laura began as if un sure how to answer the question, "I socialize with the others."

"You mean your team mates?"

"Yes. When we aren't busy with school we visit bars in the city. Go to concerts. Sometimes we go skiing and snowboarding."

"You like snowboarding?"

"Not really. I've done it a few times. And how about yourself. What do you do for personal enjoyment?" she asked, "Besides lifting weights."

"I dunno," Sam said shifting in his chair, "I like the usual guy stuff. Tooling around with my truck, reading science fiction, playing pool."

"I play pool!" she said perking up.

"Oh you do. Maybe we can have a game once in awhile."

"I would like that," she said.

"Besides that. I like watching sports. Footballs my favourite."

"You mentioned that you were planning on spending the day with Bobbi Drake," Laura said taking sip of her wine, "What were your plans?"

"Nothing much. Just hitting the bars. Shmoozing with the locals."

"You mean meeting women?" she asked a bit shyly. Sam clearly understood the other half of the unspoken question. She was asking him if he picked up girls to have sex with. What was going on?

"Yeah Laura. I schmooze with women too," he replied thickly.

There was an awkward silence between them as they stared into each others eyes.

"Where to next?" Sam asked breaking the silence.

"You aren't ready to go back to Greymalkin?" she asked surprised.

"No," Sam said glancing at his watch, "It's not even seven."

Sam realized that he did not want this evening to end.

"But if you're tired and want to go..." Sam began.

"No...no," Laura replied, "I am not tired. We can go and look at Fisherman's Wharf and the Marina."

"If you don't mind Laura," Sam said, "I'd like to skip Fisherman's Wharf. It's a tourist trap and I've been there hundreds of times."

"Okay," Laura replied. She waved to the server for the bill. When he presented it on the table, Sam snatched it up before Laura could reach down and retrieve it. "This days on me," he explained before she could protest again, "I want to show you how special you are."

It was not until later that Sam realized how forward it sounded. But Laura did not protest. She just stared at him once again in amazement.

When they left the restaurant they hailed a cab that took them from where they were outside the restaurant to all the way to the Marina and got off at Filmore and walked south to Marian avenue where the boats were docked. The sun was still up but was beginning to set. And already the crowds were beginning to emerge with partiers and couples as they started they began to jump start their Saturday night. But Sam and Laura were both oblivious to them and were caught up in their own company.

Sam stopped and looked at the boats.

"These are some pretty expensive boats," Sam said looking at a huge yacht floating just yards away.

"Yes they are," Laura replied.

"Ever wish that you could just jump on one and sail off?"

Laura thought about how the first 13 years of her life and been confined in a room. She did not know if she wanted to spend time confined on a boat.

"No. Not really," she replied.

"When I was a kid growing up in Kentucky," Sam said, "I would have given anything to travel."

"You said that you've been to Hong Kong?" Laura said turning to him.  
"Yeah I saw my share of the world," Sam said, "If it hadn't been for the X-Men I probably would still be at home in Kentucky," That wasn't exactly true but she didn't have to know the details, "How about you?"

"You mean prior to the X-Men?" she asked.

"Yes."

Laura paused staring at the open water. She was so quiet for a moment that Sam did not think that she would answer his questions.

"Yes," she said, "I have been all over the world. But not as a tourist."

"No?"

"No," she replied, "What was your childhood like Sam?" she asked changing the subject.

"You mean growing up in Kentucky?"

"Yes."

"Pretty low key," he said, "I grew up in Cumberland. It's in the hills in Kentucky. I'm the eldest of nine kids."

"Nine!"

"Yeah," Sam said, "Big families are common where I come from. Anyway in Cumberland. There was only one high school. One Wal-mart and a few grocery stores. Everyone knew everyone else. It was a pretty tight community. We had to be because most every family had a someone there who either worked at or had a family member who worked at the coal mine. So we all tended to pull together when things got tough."

"Did you have anyone who worked there?"

"Yeah," Sam said slowly, "My Dad worked there for a time. Then so did I."

"Really?"

"Yeah really," Sam replied without looking at her, "My Dad passed away in a mining accident. There was no way that my Mom could support our large family on our farm or as her part time job as a cashier. So I quit school and went and worked in the mines."

"You did?" she asked without undisguised admiration.

"Yeah I did," Sam with a small measure of pride that she was impressed.

"How old were you?"

"Fifteen. But with my Dad gone. I was now the man of the house," he said turning to face her and leaning against the rail, "It was up to me to provide for my family."

"Oh," Laura said. She thought of Julian and his monthly arguments with his older brother James to give him more money. Usually these arguments would take place within weeks of receiving it. Most often than not Julian would fritter it away on trivial things such as buying liquor, smuggled Cuban cigars and designer clothes. There was also the fact that he had taken up online gambling. She was sure he was in debt to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. Laura could not help but wonder how Julian would have managed if he had ended up in Sam's situation at his young age.

"I wasn't there very long," Sam continued, "There was a cave in, and while I was trying to save one of the workers. Some rocks fell on me and it was then that my mutant powers developed."

"You joined the X-Men after that?" Laura asked.

"Not right after that. But sometime after that," Sam replied with a grimace. He considered his time with the Hellfire club a nightmare which he wanted to just gloss over.

"You had some siblings at Xavier's didn't you?" Laura asked curiously.

"Yeah," Sam said, "There's Paige, code named Husk. And there was my younger brother Joshua."

"Jay," Laura chimed in, "I remember now. He fell at the hands of Reverend Stryker..."

"Yeah he fell at the hands of Stryker," Sam said tightly, "May that son of a bitch rot in hell."

Laura studied him for a moment.

"You've suffered," she said carefully. Sam shrugged his broad shoulders trying to give off an air of nonchalance. But Laura could see that he was hiding a lot of anger.

"That's life I guess," Sam said.

"I never thought that you would be so fatalistic."

"I normally am not," Sam said, "But sometimes you have to let go. Or it'll just eat you apart. Here."

Sam began and reached for his wallet. He extracted an old snapshot.

"This is a picture of all of us taken about a year before Josh died."

The shot consisted of a tired looking woman, surrounded by nine children including Sam.

"That's Paige, Elizabeth, Josh, Jeb, Melody, Joelle, Lewis and Lucy. Lewis and Lucy are the only ones who are at home right now. Everyone else is either in college out working. Melody got married last year and lives with her husband in Nashville."

"You have a very beautiful family," Laura said with great admiration. She reached down and pulled out a locket that was tied around a ribbon. She opened the locket and showed it to Sam. Sam saw that contained inside was two photos. One was a faded black and white shot of a woman who looked very similar to Laura.

"Is this your Mom?" he asked fingering the locket. His fingers brushed Laura's.

"Yes," Laura replied.

"She's a beautiful woman," Sam said, "I can see where you got your looks."

Sam meant that in more than one way. While the family resemblance was unmistakable. There was also something else that they shared a deep air of sadness.

"Thank you," Laura said proudly.

"And who is this?" he asked referring to the other picture of a young teenage girl with a funky hair cut.

"My cousine Megan," Laura replied.

"She's pretty," Sam said releasing the locket. Laura closed it and placed it back beneath her shirt.

"You have one very nice looking family. I'm guessing that you had a much better childhood than I did."

Laura looked at him surprised.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well all that cool stuff you can do. Dom, said that you learned it all this top secret place called The Facility."

Laura knew that there was a data base at the mansion on all of the X-Men. She had done her share of digging on various teammates (though not Cannonball). The data base contained information on all the X-Men, their encounters and the villains they had fought etc. However a complete and exhaustive background of the X-Men, especially members who had murky pasts were not always made available for everyone to see. Laura had taken a look at hers. It mentioned that she had spent her child hood at 'The Facility' and was trained to be an assassin, and that she had wandered on the streets. However there was no mention of the murder of her mother or the fact that she functioned as a prostitute for a brief period of time. She suspected that some of the older X-Men knew though. It was something she herself had confided in Julian. He had sworn never to reveal it to anyone. However his instability, immaturity and vindictiveness left Laura uneasy. She lived with a sense of evil foreboding that he might one day reveal her secret…

"I had no idea that Neena was sharing my background," Laura said slightly annoyed.

"Hey she wasn't tattle telling," Sam said defensively, "It's just that some of the stuff that you do. Well..it's way advanced. I've watched you with the others. The other girls and you're just different."

"Different how?"

"More mature I guess. You're just more calm than they are."

Laura smiled at the compliment and shrugged dismissively.

"So I'm just guessing that your Mom worked there. And you got to be schooled and trained. You know the same way that some kids whose folks work at a private school. Get to study there at a reduced rate."

"What exactly do you know about me…and my background?"

Sam opened his mouth to give a ready reply. But then paused.

"I -I guess I don't know that much about you after all," he said, "I just know that when Logan introduced you to the rest of the team it was as his little sister. I'm guessing that it is not quite true."

"Yes technically it is true. Although Logan did legally adopt me three years ago making me his daughter. I am really his 'twin sister'. I was cloned from his DNA. I am his genetic twin."

"Oh. But you do look anything like him."

"No I don't," Laura said.

Sam paused for a moment.

"Why were you cloned using Wolverine's DNA?"

"I was created for the sole purpose of being an assassin. My designation 'X-23' came about. Because I was the 23rd embryo that took."

"What?" Sam exploded, "You're kidding?"

"No," Laura said shaking her head.

"But…how..?" Sam asked perplexed.

"What do you know about the Weapon X program?" she asked him.

"Not that much" Sam said, "I just know that Logan went through it. He said it sucked."

"That's right," Laura replied, "The whole weapon X program was an offshoot of another program called Weapon Plus. Weapon Plus was primarily a government program, both run by the Canadian and US governments to create super soldiers who would be almost invincible on the battle field. Eventually when activities of Weapon Plus were discovered by the general public, via the media. The public outcry was so great that the program was shut down. However scientists who were involved in the program re-launched the program years later. For more…. commercial reasons. They called it The Weapon X Re-Creation project."

"When you say that the main aim of this Facility was commercial what did you mean?"

"It depended on what the client wanted. But the primary goal involved killing."

"So you killed people?"

"Yes I did," she said looking away. Sam could see the shame and humiliation in her act.

"But as a little kid?"

"I was not doing it from day one, if that is what you are asking. I was not sent out until I reached pre-pubescence."

"But still…you were just a little kid. How did you do it?"

"It was a combination of what I was taught as a child. As well as conditioning."

"Conditioning?" Sam asked, "You meant that you were forced to?"

"Yes."

"And if you said no?"

"I was punished."

The tone in which she said it told Sam that it must have been cruel.

"What about the other kids?" he asked

"There were no other kids. I was the only embryo that took."

"So you mean that you went through all of that alone?"

"Yes," Laura said her green eyes darkening.

"Oh my God!" Sam gasped, "But you said that you had a mother?"

"Yes I did," Laura replied, "The scientist who created me. Dr. Sarah Kinney. Was also the woman who carried me to term."

"You mean she was a surrogate mother?"

"Yes," Laura said tightly, "But she also was my mother in other ways to. She spent time with me. Emma later assisted me in looking into the Facilities background. I found out that Dr. Kinney..my mother had her own eggs harvested earlier and used them. So she is my mother in every sense of the word."

"Why would she have her own eggs harvested?" Sam asked puzzled.

"Because the project was top secret. And she was supposed to be working in anonymity. I guess she felt that by harvesting her own eggs it was her own way of getting credit for her work."

"Did your mother try and defend you?"

"A little. But there was no much she could do. If she protested too much she would have been fired or killed," Laura said. This was not quite true. Laura knew that Sarah could have taken her and run off with her years ago. But she understood that her mother had her own horrific demons to contend with and she had forgiven her years ago.

"Killed?" Sam asked.

"Yes," Laura replied thinking of Zander Rice.

"How long were you at this place?"

"Thirteen years."

"How did you get out?"

"My mother took me and we tried to escape."

"Tried?"

"We..she was unsuccessful, and was killed. I was the only one who got out alive." Laura did not bother to tell Sam how Sarah had died. He did not need to know and it wasn't something that she often gave much thought to.

"Oh man," Sam said. His heart went out to her, "And I thought that I had it bad. What did you do after that?"

"I went to my Aunts. Until she had to move to Canada for her job. But I did not want to join them. So I remained in New York. Until Wolverine…Logan invited me to join the X-men." It wasn't exactly the entire truth, but Sam did really need to know all the sordid details. More to the point Laura was sure he did not want to know.

"I'm glad that you found the X-men Laura. I really am."

"So am I."

"What you went through was horrible. But I am happy that you turned out okay. I've seen you with the others Laura. You're not mean. So I know that whatever you did, it was because you were forced into it."

"Thank you Sam," she said with a small smile.

"No one should be forced to…go through what you did. That's sick."

"Yes it is," she said, "It is the chief reason I want to be a teacher to disturbed and abused children."

"I'm glad that you want to give back Laura," Sam said, "It shows that you're a good woman."

For some reason these words made Laura's eyes flood up. And for the first time Sam could see that she had been hiding a lot of pain.

"You are Laura," he said softly, "And you deserve to be treated much better."

Tentatively she reached out and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"For what? The restaurant?"

"No today…with Julian."

"Hey no problem," he said cheerfully, "But really Laura. You don't have to put up with stuff like that. Keller's way out of line."

"I am not used to…" her voice trailed off.

"Used to what?" Sam asked.

"Being defended," she said shrugging. Sam could tell that she was trying to be nonchalant. But there was stiffness in her movement which made him see that she was hiding a lot of hurt.

"Well you should have someone stand up for you," he replied, "You're an X-Man. And we look after our own. At least we are supposed to."

Sam paused as if knowing what he said was very clumsy.

"What I am trying to say is that..You're very important Laura," he said he paused and took a lock of her hair between his fingers, "You're very special. You really deserve to be treated better."

"Thank you Sam," she said. They stared at each other for a few moments. Then reaching up, Laura kissed him on the lips taking him by surprise. She pulled back. They stared at each other for a moment longer. Then Sam gathered her into his arms and kissed her, Laura didn't resist she pulled him closer making the kiss deeper.

"Hey you two," came a voice amongst the passing revelers, "Get a hotel room!"

They parted breathing deeply.

"Let's do that," Laura said.

"Let's do what?" he asked.

"Get a hotel room," she said seriously.

Sam could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"Are you sure? You really want to?"

"Yes I do," she said firmly, she took his hand, "I want to be with you."

Sam wondered later why he had not argued the point further. It had to be more than the single glass of whisky he had downed with dinner.

"Do you want to be with me Sam?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes- I do," he said without a moments hesitation.

All evening he had felt this incredible pull towards her. He loved her frankness and directness, But he also loved the way in which she listened to what he had to say and did not treat him as some sort of side show country hick. He liked her quiet confidence and the way she carried herself. Like an X-Woman.

The Wharf Inn wasn't too far away. Sam knew it because it was where he had spent the last weekend. He just hoped that Laura didn't wonder why he was so familiar with it. She didn't. She was just focused one thing. The clerk didn't bat an eye when he saw the young couple check without bags. He just took the credit card deposit and handed them the key.

Sam found the room. He turned to Laura anxious.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sam asked again.

For an answer she placed her hands on his chest leaned up and gave him a long slow kiss.

"Yes I do," she said biting his lower lip.

Sam groaned. He tangled his fingers in her black hair and made the kiss deeper.

They were interrupted by the sound of giggling. They looked down the hallway and found two young boys about the age of 10 staring and laughing at them. A woman, obviously the boys mother emerged and tried to pull them away. The expression she gave them was one of pure annoyance and disapproval.

Laura took the key out of Sam's hand and un-locked the door. It was your standard hotel room. The same as the one he had been in last week. The only way that Sam knew that it was not the same one was the fact that the Danish sisters had been housed on the top floor and this one was on the second floor.

Sam made his way towards the curtain on the other side of the room.

"Where are you going?" Laura asked him.

"Uh—to close the curtains," he began.

"No," She said moving around to his side, "I want to see your eyes."

Sam moved back over to her side. Even though he was almost a head taller than she was, she reached up to pull off his black T-shirt.

"Beautiful," she whispered looking at his broad expanse of chest and cobblestone abs.

"You think so?" Sam asked. He was proud of his well toned body. He had joined the X-Men only a 140lbs soaking wet and over the years had managed to add another 50lbs of muscle to his lanky frame.

"Yes," she replied placing the palms of her hands over his pecs, she breathed in deeply, "You smell so nice."

She wrapped her arms around him, placing her lips in the crevice between his pectorals. He could hear her inhale. He was happy that he had showered that morning. He loved the way her nails grazed his back, they reminded him of the other most dangerous parts of her, the two adamantium blades that came out each hand. But already he felt that her claws were the least dangerous part of her body.

She looked up at him again, a smile on her lips. He kissed her again more hungrily this time.

She then began to undo his heavy belt and un buttoned his jeans. She leaned in to pull them down. But first he kicked off his heavy motorcycle boots. The jeans fell to the floor. Revealing his boxer briefs. He was already big as a house. She grasped him by the top of his boxer briefs and slowly began to roll them down until he was completely naked. To Laura he looked like a statue come to life.

"Can I …can I see you?"

"Of course," she said stepping back, "Do you want to..?"

"Undress you?" he asked, "Yes I do."

"This jacket seems very big for you," he said as he slowly removed it from her shoulders.

"It's Logans. He gave it to me…when I first met him."

He slipped the jacket from over her shoulders and it fell to the ground with a thud. She looked so much smaller without the jacket. Her body was slender but well toned and well defined,-athletic but still soft and feminine. Reaching down, he pulled off her T shirt. She wore no bra. She didn't have to, her breasts were small and high enough that no bra was necessary, her stomach sculpted, her hips wide.

Sam liked the way she felt in his arms, although she was willowy-he could still feel all the coiled power beneath his hands.

He wanted to do nothing more than lay her on the bed and kiss her all over, and bury his face between her thighs.

He looked at her for a moment.

"Am I pleasing to you?" she asked hesitantly.

"Oh hell yeah," he said thickly.

"Am I…how you say…hot?"

Which of those horny knuckle heads back at the mansion had told her that? 'Hot' was a word that should only be reserved for bimbos and strippers and other cheap pieces of ass. Not a woman like Laura Kinney.

Sam walked over to her and cupped her face in his large hands.

"You're more than hot," he said thickly, "You're gorgeous…you're incredible."

"Thank you," she said softly running her fingers over the back of his thick forearms.

He kissed her. Laura reached up and removed the necklace around her neck and allowed it to drop onto her jacket. She then took Sam by the hands and lead him to the bed and climbing up on to it, she pulled him up onto the bed beside her. Making him lie down on the bed, his head on the pillows. The covers had already been pulled back.

Why was he so nervous? He was behaving as if it was his first time. But he thought he knew why. X-23 was different. Until he had joined the X-Men, the only women whom Sam dated were simple minded office clerks and college girls who really didn't have much going on upstairs. Most of them he met at bars or parties and after a few drinks and rushed kisses it was either off to their college dorm room, apartment or the use of the back seat of his car.

When he had been allowed to join the X-Men proper it was a complete different universe. Not only were these physically the most impressive humans on the planet. They were also the most attractive. It was as if he had stepped inside an underwear catalogue. And the women…Oh God. They made the Playmates in Playboy look like hags. It was all he could do to keep from staring at them. It was all well he thought. They barely paid him any mind at all. Most of them were already paired off with the senior guys. Men who were far more successful and more experienced than he was. They never ever gave the likes of him a second glance.

Over the time he got beyond his school boy fascination and settled in. He worked his ass off to be worthy of the title 'X-Man'. And in time gained more responsibilities. He was so busy that he hardly noticed the swelling ranks of the team including the addition of younger members. He was not certain when he had heard the name 'X-23'. He just knew that she was Wolverine' latest protégée. Just like Kitty Pryde and Jubilee before her. But this one came with a twist. It turned out that X-23 was actually cloned from Wolverine's DNA, and could be considered his genetic twin. When Wolverine had introduced her to the rest of the X-Men, it had been as 'his little sister'. But Sam could see that apart from her adamantium claws, the similarity ended. While Wolverine was volatile, loud, and rough. X-23 was calm, taciturn and icy cold refinement.

To be frank she intimidated him and not only due to the adamantium claws that came out of her hands. Despite being younger than himself, she very much reminded him of the older women who were in the X-Men when he first joined. Namely Jean Gray, Emma Frost, Storm and Psylocke. Not so much in the looks department, sure Laura was attractive, but she wasn't a bombshell or a walking goddess like the older women. It was more along the lines of her attitude and how she carried herself. There was a quiet confidence to Laura which he loved, She did not chat incessantly like other girls and she behaved as if she were in complete and utter control of herself.

And Sam found that he liked that very much.

He had never expected to be in this position. Not with this one. Sure he had his share of conquests and romances. But he had never been a 'chick' magnet. Not like Gambit or Cyclops. And he had never ever expected to be in this position with this one. Especially given the fact that she was (or had been?) seeing that snot nosed brat from Beverly Hills, Julian Keller who made it a point of driving up and down the highway in his**Bugatti Veyron.**

Sam lay down on the bed, Laura straddled him placing both her hands on his chest.

"Your heart is beating fast," she said, "Are you scared?"

"Sort of," he stammered.

"Why? Have you not…?"

"No, Hell yes I have. But-."

He lifted up one of her hands. Laura understood his meaning. He was referring to the adamantium claws that came out of her hands.

"I won't hurt you Sam," she said gently stroking his jaw.

"I know," he replied and pulled her into his arms. Despite the tension that had taken place between them all evening. The love making was exquisitely slow and with both of them giving and receiving pleasure. For some reason, it made Sam think of his first time, and that what was taking place between them was far more than just a mindless hook up.

/

Sam awoke the next morning just as the sun was just beginning to seep through the window. He stared at it for a moment then turned to Laura who was sleeping soundly next to him. She was laying on her stomach her back bare, the sheets tangled around her waist. Sam marveled at the intricacies of her musculature. Her skin was smooth and flawless without any scars or blemishes, and right then Sam realized that it was due to her healing factor. She was lying so still that he could hardly tell that she was breathing. It was amazing he thought…there was so much about her that he had learned. And he wanted to learn more.

He smiled and remembered their previous night together. And he thought how different it was from his other previous hook ups. This was different. As enjoyable as the sex was, it wasn't as fun as the long lengthy talk afterwards. Several times Sam had made her laugh, something he had rarely..if ever seen her do before. Sam wasn't the type of guy who deliberately collected notches on his headboard. Sure he liked it that women found him attractive and found him desirable to go to bed with. But he didn't consciously go out with the intent of improving his 'numbers' like Bobby Drake or Roberto DaCosta. If it happened it happened, if it didn't it didn't that was fine too(there also had to be some sort of attraction to the woman in question for him to go to bed with her). However being with Laura was on another whole level. Her standoffish and aloof manner made him think that she was really choosy. And the fact that she had chosen him made him proud. Which was why it explained why she was paired off with that rich asshole Keller. It couldn't be his personality.

And he could not help but feel some measure of pride that he had not only made her want to be with him. But he had also caused her to laugh and relax.

He reached up and brushed a lock of hair from her face. She looked so still..so quiet. Like an angel.

Sam leaned over and began to kiss his way down her moved the sheet further down so that he could kiss along middle of her back…

He felt her stir awake. She lifted her head and looked over her shoulder and pinned him down with her emerald gaze.

She smiled.

"Goodmorning," she said sleepily.

Sam raised his head and smiled at her. "Goodmorning," he replied. He then continued to kiss his way up her back.

"You know it's very dangerous to startle a girl who has adamantium claws and cat reflexes out of her sleep," she said half turning onto her side.

"I'm not worried," he said moving to kiss her hip.

"And why not?"

"Because if you kill me…" he began running his tongue along her side. She shivered., "Then I can't give you a repeat performance of last night. You do want a repeat of last night don't you?"

"Yes," she said firmly.

Sam paused.

"Then you have no regrets about last night?"

"No."

The way she said no told Sam that she meant what she said.

"Then come here then," he said softly moving up to her side. Laura rolled on to her back and took him in her arms. Soon they were kissing again, only to be interrupted by the sound of a cell phone going off. It wasn't his. Sam felt Laura stiffen beneath him for a brief moment then suddenly relax again.

"Do you want to answer that?" he asked her taking her face in his hands.

"No," she said firmly.

"Are you sure? It might be important."

"It is not," she said as she began to kiss him, "I know who is calling. The ring tone. It's Julian's."

"Yeah then I guess it doesn't matter at all" he said lowering his mouth to kiss her.

17


	2. Chapter 2

**X: 23: Southern Comfort II**

Cyclops was standing outside the infirmary looking at the woman on the operating table, it was Laura Kinney. She had been hit and rendered unconscious during a confrontation the X-Men had had with Gene Nation.

Cannonball came running up to him. Cyclops turned to look at him, his expression curious.

"Sam," Cyclops said, "What's up?"

"Is she okay?" he asked looking through the bay window.

"She was hit pretty hard. But Hank said she'll pull through. She's a fighter. She'll be okay."

Cannonball let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

"It is," Cyclops replied. They continued to watch for a few more minutes. Before Cyclops said.

"Bobby mentioned that you two took a trip down to the Wharf about two weekends ago," Cyclops said without turning to look at him, "You stayed overnight."

"Bobby should keep his mouth shut," Cannonball said defensively, "It was nothing. Keller blew up at her, and I defended her. That's all. I suggested she come down to the city with me—just to cheer her up and get her away from Keller. She agreed. We did some sight seeing and got to talking."

"You talked with X-23?"

"Yes we talked Scott. Sure she's not a chatty cathy but she can hold up her end of a conversation. Anyway it got late and we decided to stay overnight."

"One room?"

"What is this 20 questions?" Cannonball asked angrily.

"Look Sam," Cyclops said, "We've been teammates for a long time. You're a big boy. I'm not blind to the occasional hook ups between team members. In our line of work it's expected, that people blow off steam whichever way they can. But you know she's in a relationship."

"I know," Cannonball said glumly, " The moment we pulled into the garage, There was Keller begging and groveling for forgiveness. She took him back without even a second glance back at me."

"You disagree?" Cyclops asked.

"What do you think Scott?" Cannonball asked, "Keller's a jerk. He doesn't deserve her. He doesn't even deserve to be with us. He's a bigot and a hot head."

"Keller's not perfect," Cyclops agreed, "But he is a mutant, and one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. He does a lot of heavy lifting for the team."

"He can barely control himself."

"I know Emma and Hank are still working with him."

"For how long Scott? He self-centered and refuses to learn."

"As long as it takes," Cyclops said, "As annoying as he can be. He'll be there for his friends."

"Except when he strikes out at his girlfriend."

"I'll talk to him about that."

"Where is Keller now? Shouldn't he be here watching her?"

"He's on an assignment. Don't worry about it. Wolverine's team leader."

"Does Keller know about her condition?"

Cyclops paused.

"Yes he does. She was hit right in front of him."

Cannonball cursed.

"You know if she was my girl, Magneto and the Purifiers could blow up the world for all I care. I'd be here at her side."

"Come on Sam," Cyclops chided.

"I mean it Scott!" Cannonball said fiercely.

"And if you were her guy she'd want you to stick with the mission until it was accomplished."

"That's the problem..the thing with her. Always putting the job ahead of everything else. Including herself. Always willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Christ.." Cannonballs' voice trailed off, "I just wish that I had gotten to know her earlier."

"She's not dead Sam," Cyclops said, "She's not dying."

"No," Cannonball said clenching his fist in determination, "She ain't."

"There's still time to get to get to know her."

"There's someone else in the way of that Scott."

Cyclops paused and asked softly.

"It was more than a one night stand wasn't it?"

"Yeah it was," Cannonball said softly, "Yes it was. For me anyway. She's hardly said two words to me since we came back."

_The only direct contact Sam had with Laura was a few afternoons after their weekend together. Sam had just come out of the men's change room after a practice run with the New Mutants. When he saw members of the Alpha and Delta teams streaming down the hall talking and laughing on the tops of their voices. They were so absorbed in their conversations that they almost knocked Sam over. He let them pass bemused remembering his first days at the X mansion when he was a kid. He then proceeded on his journey, when he saw her. _

_Laura._

_Although she had her back to him he would have recognized the sight of her almost anywhere. Sam had done his best to forget what happened over the weekend in San Francisco. He tried to chalk it up to just being a one night stand just like the other ones he had had. Except that this one had taken place with a fellow X-man. But he found it impossible. Laura Kinney was on his mind all the time. In the showers, in the gym, in training. _

_In bed at night. _

_And that was the worst time…at nights he found himself going over and over in his mind their weekend together. The long hours of foreplay and sex, the feel of her skin smooth as satin, the warmth of her body, the way she would wrap her body around his before falling asleep. But Sam also remembered _

_the conversations they had had. The attentive way she had paid attention to what he had to say. Not once laughing at or dismissing his past life or the hopes he had for the future. She actually treated him as if she respected him. He had thought that they had made a special connection. They had held hands from the moment they had left the hotel room until they walked back across town to his truck. She had even snuggled against him as he drove back to Greymalkin. Until they hit Marin County and then she became quiet and pulled away from him, and when they pulled into the garage and saw Keller. She didn't even thank him. Sam knew that going back to Greymalkin…and the 'real life' might change things. But it did not lessen the hurt when it happened. Watching her walk away with Keller the bouquet of orchids in her arms. Left a lump in Sam's chest. A lump that had not gone away in the passing days…and it was then that Sam knew that he had fallen in love with Laura Kinney._

_Now here she was ,standing in the middle of the hallway having a conversation with Elixir. He could not hear what was being said, but by X-23's body language he could tell that she was upset. Eventually Elixir moved around from her and X-23 turned around to see him standing there. Their eyes locked and it was like pure electricity passing between them. Sam felt his heart begin to beat faster. She hadn't forgotten._

"_Hello Sam," she said her face visibly brightening. Her posture which before had been stiff seemed to relax slightly. And she took a step towards him._

"_Hi Laura," he began. He did not know what else to say, it was like he was a prisoner of those huge green pools._

_Suddenly there was the heavy sound of footsteps running down the hall. Both Sam and X-23 were snapped out of their trance and they looked up to see Keller running down the hall. X-23's demeanor stiffened again and she stepped back from him._

"_Julian," she said. "You are late."_

"_Sorry," he mumbled, "My meeting with my brother took longer than I expected."_

"_Was it worth you being late?" X-23 asked, "This is the third time this week."_

"_No," Julian sulked, "He won't give me anymore money."_

"_Gee Keller looks like you'll have to work for a living like the rest of us," Sam jibbed._

"_Fuck you Hayseed!" Keller screamed at him._

_Sam laughed._

"_Come on Julian," X-23 said, "We're late enough as it is."_

_Julian stomped down the hall towards the danger room._

_X-23 followed him, but she paused and turned around and glanced back at Sam and gave him a small smile. That smile had kept Sam on an incredible high for the rest of the day. He thought that something more might happen. But he had heard that she was called away on a mission and this was the first time he had seen her. _

"She's a fantastic young woman. We really lucked out in getting her on the team. I don't blame you for falling for her."

"You know. Before….before we spent the weekend together. I just thought that she was just empty..like a robot. But she actually has a lot of depth. She's one of the few women who hasn't treated me like some dumb country hick or a side show attraction."

"You're not a hick Sam. I never thought you were," Cyclops said, "I know what it feels like to date a woman who you think is…"

"Above you?" Cannonball asked.

"I was going to say out of my league. But yeah above you is a good term. I never thought that in a million years that Jean Gray would be interested in me. I thought that she'd want Warren. Then, there's Emma. That ones still a mystery to me."

"To everyone," Sam thought, but did not say so out loud.

Cyclops cleared his throat.

"Sam I realize that I'm asking a lot. Given the rivalry that I had with Logan over Jean. But I'm going to have to ask you to back off."

"What do you mean back off?" Cannonball asked.

"Sam you know what I'm talking about. This infatuation you have with X-23. We have a lot of problems and I can't afford the teams attention to be divided because of internal wars and petty rivalries. I need you to be professional"

"Don't worry about me Scott," Cannonball said walking away, "I'll do the right thing. Besides X-23 already made her choice about who she wants to be with."

*****8

Two days later

Hank McCoy walked in to the infirmary and found Laura Kinney sitting up on the bed.

"Well how is my favourite patient today?" he asked.

"Fine thank you," Laura replied.

"That was quite the scare you gave us. Fortunately most of the damage was to your shoulder and your healing factor compensated nicely."

Laura nodded- rubbing her side.

"Was the team successful?" she asked.

"Yes they were," McCoy said pleased.

"Have they returned?"

"Yes. Last night I believe. I saw Rogue and Gambit this morning at breakfast. They said everyone is back."

"Was Julian here?" she asked, "Did he come down to see me?"

"He could have. But I haven't seen him while I have been down here," Beast replied. He paused for a moment, "Sam Guthrie dropped by a number of times though."

"Sam was here?" she asked surprised.

"Yes. In fact he's maintained an almost daily vigil over you. Even when he knew that you were out of danger."

Laura thought about that for a moment.

"Am I free to leave?"

"As soon as I give you another check up. Would you like me to call Julian?"

"No," Laura replied, "That won't be necessary."

After Beast gave her a clean bill of health. Laura began to dress. Someone had kindly left a fresh set of her clothes on the chair across from her bed. She slowly went over in her mind the events of the past two weeks. Laura wasn't exactly proud of the way she had treated Sam upon her return to Graymalkin. The ride back to the complex had been a very quiet one.

Laura thought about how everyone was counting on her. Relying on her to set a good example for the others. Given her experience and intelligence and successes she had been made team leader three yeas ago after her 18th birthday. She was expected to set a good example to the others, and what kind of example would it be if she could not stay faithful to her boyfriend (even if right now she was not sure if she and Hellion were still a couple). She had so many things to pay for, she could not afford to slip up and loose people's respect. For…for what? A brief affair with a fellow X-men?

Sam was sweet, he was kind and he was a fantastic lover. No one had ever spent that much time ensuring that that she received her pleasure before. But the truth of the matter is that he was on another team and they had rarely interacted. She could hardly see them interacting on a regular basis in the future. They would be given their respective duties and probably not inter act ever again except on big missions.

But the truth of the matter was that she genuinely liked being with Sam, she felt comfortable with him. He was easy to talk to, he did not talk down to her and but neither did he behave as if he were frightened of her. Which was often the first reaction she got from men.

She felt un-settled by a wave of emotions. And she hated it when her emotions overwhelmed her. So in order to calm them the first thing she did was decide to put aside the whole trip with Sam and return to Julian. And it wasn't hard to do this, since they had no sooner pulled into the garage than there was Julian Keller with a bouquet of orchids in his arms. He immediately let forth with a series of apologies and platitudes about how sorry he was and how he would never blow up at her again. Laura took the orchids and accepted the apology and climbed into Julian's sports car without looking at or even a word of thanks to Sam. Keller ended up taking her to a movie and out to dinner. Some reputable four star restaurant whose cuisine Laura did not like. Afterwards they had gone back to Graymalkin and Julian's room to bed.

Fortunately for Laura, Julian had been mercifully short. Julian had never really believed in long lengthy foreplay the way that Sam did. Laura found that the only way she could achieve climax was by closing her eyes and imagining that it was Sam who was with her. She almost unleashed her claws, but she switched her thoughts back to Hellion. After Julian was done he just rolled off of her and went to sleep. Laura waited until Julian was fast asleep before slipping into her own clothes and making her way towards Sam's room. She placed her hand on the door to open it. But stopped herself and went back to her own room.

Laura attempted to make her life go back to normal, by focusing on her studies and team duties and relationship with Julian Keller. But she found that thoughts of Sam Guthrie began to seep into her consciousness. So much so that she found herself daydreaming about him during lectures, what was he doing at certain times? What did he like to eat? Was he planning on going 'cruising' girls with Bobby Drake on the weekend? What if he met another girl on the weekend who made him forget her? The thought of Sam going to bed with another woman on the weekend, and forgetting her, filled her with jealousy.

As for her relationship with Julian, she was now finding that she did not enjoy being in his company. Things which she overlooked before began to irritate her tremendously. Whether it be his excuses for his inability to control his Telekinesis, or his general mean-spirited behaviour towards others. She tried to make sure that she was never in his company alone, and kept her bedroom door locked at night, so that he could not sneak in. She was glad that they had maintained separate bedrooms even though when they had the option of getting a suite when they had begun dating.

When Laura met Sam in the hallway several days later she felt her heart skip a beat. And she could see that he had almost the same reaction that she did. She was positive that whatever happened between them in San Francisco was not just something superficial. It was almost like a wave of electricity passing between them, which unfortunately had been broken by Julian. Laura had made up her mind to find Sam and to speak with him privately.

Yet something stopped her. The next day. Laura was in the danger room change room with Norriko 'Surge' Ashido, Cessily 'Mercury' Kincaide, and Megan 'Pixie' Gwyn. They were about to start a practice combat run.

"So Laura," Nori said pulling off her t-shirt.

"What?" Laura asked.

"What was that thing between you and Cannonball earlier in the yesterday?"

Laura paused from what she was doing and turned to face Noriko.

"Nothing," she said shortly, as she said this she distinctly remembered the feel of Sam's lips along her naked back as he had awoken her up in the hotel room. It made her shiver.

"Oh come on, don't say that it was nothing," Nori said, "The tension was so thick, even I could see it down the hall where I was standing."

"It's in your imagination Norriko," Laura said in a voice that said she did not want to get into it any further.

"No it isn't," Cessily said, "I felt it too. What exactly did you two do down in San Francisco?"

Laura sighed annoyed.

"We sight saw and had dinner. That's all."

"And you had to stay overnight?" Megan asked.

"We drank too much alcohol and it wasn't safe for us to drive home. So we stayed at a hotel," Laura said.

"A likely story!" Nori laughed.

"You share a room?" Megan asked cheekily, "A bed?"

"I'm not getting into this any further with you girls," Laura said hotly, "You clearly watch too many soap operas. Now I suggest that we strategize as to how we are going to take out the Delta team. So that we don't get double duty."

The ribbing from the girls had caused Laura to have misgivings and made her back off from her pursuit of Sam. She hated to be teased and did not want to invite gossip. She saw the way that people laughed at Ms. Frost behind her back. Calling her a 'home-wrecker' for coming in between Scott Summers and his late wife Jean Grey. And Laura did not want that to be her. She could imagine the names they would tarnish her with for wanting to be with another man while she was in a steady relationship. Three years ago Cyclops had made her field commander over Surge. They felt that she had earned it given her victories. She did not want to loose the respect of those around her. She knew how important it was to maintain the respect of the others especially those who fell beneath her command. If her charges or underlings did not respect her disorder and chaos would prevail, and she did not want to resort to being overbearing and authoritarian unless necessary. She had read enough history to see that being dictatorial did not work long term and often ended up back firing on the person doing the leading. And she also noticed how the older members behaved around Storm as opposed to Cyclops. She noticed that they tended to obey Cyclops because he was in charge, whereas they obeyed Storm because they respected her.

Yet she still could not stop thinking about Sam….

The next morning Laura rose early and went down to the gym. She knew that Sam worked out every other day and he liked to get his routine in early so that he had the rest of the day free. She walked inside the gym and saw him there on one of the weight lifting benches. Pressing over 50 pound bar bells. She was skilled enough to stay out of his line of sight. Then when she saw him make his way towards the stair master for 20 minutes of cardio, she knew that he was winding down his workout.

It was Laura's cue to move. She made her way inside the men's change room. Which fortunately was empty and climbed inside one of the men's lockers, and waited for Sam to emerge. He did so twenty minutes later. Saying a hello to Warren and Jimmy on their way out to the gym (both men had come entered the change room shortly after she had stepped inside the locker). She watched as Sam stripped off his clothes and wrapped a towel around his waist before heading for the shower. Looking at him stripped naked like that too her breath away-he was almost like a statue come to life. He was completely hairless, but still covered with small scars from past battles. She had seen old pictures of him from when he had first joined the team. And the transformation was startling. Years ago when he had first joined the X-Men he had been lean bordering on skinny, now he was large and bulky with biceps the size of medium sized melons and fore-arms the size of hams and a torso that looked as if it had been carved by Michelangelo. All of this was a result of a dedicated ritual of intense exercise and strict diet. Julian rarely ever worked out and was just as lean as when she had first met him.

She had loved it when he had held her close, Laura was used to being self-sufficient and protecting herself. Even being on a team of superheroes she never allowed herself to fully lean on the others for help. And she certainly couldn't rely on Julian who always seemed to need protecting. But she felt as if she could rely and lean on Sam. She remembered the strength that emanated from Sams' body, the feel of his skin against hers, the way in which the stubble of his cheeks against hers. The way in which he had pleasured her with his tongue….And of course she couldn't forget the way he ran to her defense first with Julian then with the idiots in China Town.

When Laura heard the shower start up she climbed out of the locker and walked over to the showers. Sam was inside the first part and had just started to lather up his back towards her. She could see that his top right shoulders still had scratches from his last fight. She watched him for a full half minute before retreating.

Laura stood outside the men's change room breathing hard. She had not felt this overwhelmed by her feelings since she had come to Xaviers. Unfortunately she had not had a chance to do anything about it, because Alpha Team were sent on a mission to fight 'Gene Nation' where Laura had sustained an almost fatal blast from Fever Pitch. But now that she was better and healed again. Her yearning to see Sam returned with great intensity.

She had to see him.

Sam was in the downstairs recreation rooms playing pool. It was something he did when he needed to focus and get his mind off his troubles. In this case 'trouble' was Laura Kinney. Beast had told him that she was awake now and should be up and about. Sam hoped to avoid her, but he knew how hard that would be all things considering. Sam was about to set up for his next shot when he heard..

"Sam?"

Sam looked up and found Laura Kinney standing in the doorway. She was wearing jeans and a green tank top and boots.

"Oh! Hi Laura!" Sam stammered. He put down the pool stick, "How are you feeling?"

"I am well," she said coming further inside the room.

"That was quite the blow you took. I'm glad to see you up and about."

"Yes my healing factor compensated nicely," She said regarding him with those huge piercing green eyes. She walked slowly over to him.

"Well…well why are you here?"

"I wanted to….. Thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Dr. McCoy said that you watched over me while I was convalescing."

"I was just worried that's all."

"You did not need to watch over me."

"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I care about you."

"I know," she said walking up to him, "And I care about you."

She had him pressed up against the pool table. Looking at her Sam wanted to nothing more than gather her in his arms and kiss her. But he resisted the impulse knowing full well how dangerous it would be.

"Look Laura," Sam began, "This isn't a good idea."

"Why not?" She asked her body pressed slightly against his.

"Because you're still with Keller."

"I want to be with you," she said firmly.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. I want another trip down to the wharf. I want to…"

"You want to have sex again?"

"No I want to….What is the term? I want to make love."

"Laura please don't…" Sam said swallowing hard.

"Don't what?" she asked puzzled.

"Look. You don't love me," he said. He paused and asked, "Do you?"

"I don't know…," she said lowering her eyes, "I like it when you hold me."

"Thanks. But…I just think you're confused. Have you spoken with Keller?"

"No," she said looking up at him again.

"Just think about this a little bit more. Before….you make a decision."

"Did you not like what we did?"

"I love what we did," he said finally giving in and scooping her face into his large hands, "But it was a fling..something brief."

"Kiss me Sam," she ordered.

"No-this is not right-," he said. But it was too late. She was already kissing him. Sam pulled her into his arms and kissed her back. He could easily take her right there on the pool table….

"No Laura, don't," he said finally pushing her away, "It's over. Go back to Keller. You don't want me."

She stepped back, for the first time he could see hurt in her emerald green eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms again and hold her close.

"I thought you liked me," she said puzzled.

"I do," he said, More than you'll ever know. He thought, "But not like that. Keller should be home soon if he isn't already. Go back to him."

Without another word, Laura pivoted on her heel and walked out of the room.

***********8

Laura could hear Julian before she even saw him.

From the recreation room came loud rowdy young male voices. Which she could distinctly recognize as belonging to Julian 'Hellion' Keller, Josh 'Elixir Foley, Santo 'Rockslide' Vaccaro and Viktor 'Anole' Borkowski and Julian Keller. When she entered the room saw that they were stationed before the huge flat screened tv playing a video game. Occassionally they would yell obscenities at the screen. Laura stood on the perifery for a full minute before, Josh looked up and saw her. He was so surprised at seeing her that he almost dropped his console.

"Laura!" he exclaimed, "You're up!"

"How are you feeling?" Viktor asked giving her a shy smile, but his focus was still on the tv screen.

"I'm fine," Laura replied staring at Keller.

"Hey babe," Keller replied without looking at her, "I meant to come by and see you. But we got in so late last night and I figured that you were still sleeping. That's why I didn't visit before."

"You dumb prick!" Rockslide screamed at the screen.

"Hey man watch your mouth," Viktor said punching him on the shoulder, "There's a lady present."

"Oopss I meant..you dumb fool…sorry Laura," Rockslide said sheepishly

Laura ignored him.

"Julian I need to speak with you," she said

"Later babe," Keller said, "I've almost reached the next level."

"Am I not more important than a video game?" She asked slightly annoyed. Viktor and Josh stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Julian hit the pause button but did not get up from his chair.

"What is your problem Laura?" he asked hotly.

"I just got out of the infirmary," she replied.

"I know that!" he snapped, "You weren't seriously injured okay? I knew that your healing factor would save you and it did. You're fine."

"Uh Julian…"Josh began.

"Shut up and stay out of this Foley," Keller snapped at him, "What is wrong with you Laura? Ever since you came back from San Francisco with that hick you've been a serious emotional wreck."

"I thought that my problem was that I was too perfect," Laura said evenly. Keller changed the subject.

"Sorry. I'm just tired after the last few days. I need some rest time. Look. I'll tell you what. After I finish this game. I'll change and shower. We'll go to Lo Coco's," Keller said

"Don't bother," Laura said and she spun on her heel to leave, she had almost reached the door when she slammed in to Domino.

"Whoa!" Domino said.

"Sorry," Laura mummbled and began to leave.

"Hold on a minute," Domino said, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Laura said.

"That's good. Because you're needed. In fact all of you are needed," Domino said addressing the boys, "All of you suit up. We have an emergency. There's been an earthquake in Miami and all the major teams are needed to help."

888888

It turned out that 90% of the team was sent on the rescue mission to Miami. X-23 noted that Rogue's team was conspicuously absent.

"If this is a humanitarian mission," Surge asked from the back of the Blackbird where she sat, "Where's Rogues' team?"

"There's been some trouble with The Marauders," Cyclops explained, "They're on the move again. I left Rogue and her team to handle it."

"Aw hell," Rockslide swore, "Why can't we be back home kicking ass and taking names?"

"Because this is more important," Cyclops replied, "The general public needs us."

"And we need to put on a good front," Domino said.

"Every bit of good pr helps," Storm said.  
"Yes it does," Cyclops said, "We need to show the world that we aren't monsters. And want to contribute to the world."

"Maybe they will leave us in peace," said Archangel.

X-23 sat near the back of the plane beside Domino and Rhane. She was watching Hellion who sat talking with Rockslide and Match. Match was making a joke about an obese girl in his class at Marin County College. From time to time Hellion would contribute with a crude comment about her sexuality.

Hellion had actually been admitted to Stanford but had ended as a legacy due to the donations that his family had made to the school. But he had ended up flunking out during his first year due to bad grades. He ended up enrolling at Marin County College. Where he barely remained due to the same bad grades. She knew that the only reason he had gone to college in the first place was because the rest of the Alpha and Delta teams were doing so and he did not want to feel left out. He had no love of academics and refused to apply himself seriously. He claimed that books were beneath him. At the time X-23 had thought that he was joking. But as time went on she could see that he was serious. He actually mocked her interest in academics and her goal to be a teacher to special needs and disturbed children. He had made a comment that they should be placed in an insane asylum.

She thought back to her conversation with Sam Gutherie just hours ago. His rejection of her still stung. She had thought that considering their weekend together and the way in which he had run to her defense against those thugs, and the fact that he had stood vigil over her. Meant that his feelings for her were deep. She had not expected to be rejected that way. But as she slowly went over their conversation. It became more clear. Sam did not want to be with her if she was still with Hellion. In fact now she realized it is wrong for her to approach him like that. She continued to stare at Hellion and wondered why she was still with him. If the truth be told she had become disinterested in him a long time ago and no longer felt the same way about him. But Sam Gutherie on the other hand was another story. She was happy when she was with him. She felt content. And she realized that even before they had spent the night together.

As X-23 sat watching Hellion she came to an important decision.

The rescue mission took almost a week. But eventually everything went back to normal. X-23, having no mutant powers which would help with moving large objects or nursing people back to health. Was mainly used along with Wolverine, Wolfsbane and Warpath to patrol the city and to make sure that there was no looting or crime. X-23 had foiled two robbery attempts and stopped three rapes. She felt satisfied with her contributions. But mostly she wanted to go back to Graymalkin for a nice hot shower and to see…

She was on her way back to the canteen to get something to eat, when she saw Rogue fly in. She changed directions and headed in the direction she had seen Rogue land. She found her at the head of operations speaking with Domino.

"…So how's it back at the compound?" Domino asked

"Peachy, "Rogue replied, "We sent the Marauders packing. But we lost Cannonball in the process. He had a nasty spill after pulling in too fast."

"Sorry to hear that. Is he-," Domino began. But Domino was interrupted by X-23 who strode up to them, the expression on her face one of worry and concern.

"Cannonball was hurt?" X-23 asked.

Rogue and Domino exchanged looks.

"Yeah he was," Rogue said, "During a fight with Harpoon he pulled in too fast and had a nasty spill. He sprained his ankle. Hank told him to get some bed rest and keep the ankle on ice. He should be fine in a couple of days."

X-23 did not look propitiated. She turned to Domino.

"Neena if you don't mind, I would like to go home—to California right now. Our work here is mostly done. And I don't think that I'm needed here anymore."

"I think that it will be fine," Domino said, "I'll clear it with Logan. But I don't see why not. The Avengers are here. They'll do most of the mopping out. Go ahead and leave."

"Thank you," X-23 said and turned around and left.

X-23 found Hellion where she thought that she would find him, with Rockslide and Elixir watching the Avengers, who were currently helping civilians out of a collapsed apartment building. The Avengers were the worlds most pre-eminent superhero team. They were the team which received the respect that only the X-men could dream of. X-23 noticed that their attention was particularly fixated on Ms. Marvel. They did not hear X-23 approach.

"Man I would give anything to be an Avenger," said Rockslide.

"Yeah getting to fight alongside Captain America," said Elixir, "And Iron Man."

"And how about Ms. Marvel," said Hellion, "God she has one _hot_ ass!"

"Oh man you said it," Rockslide said laughing, "Sit on my face baby!"

"Yeah she does," Elixir sighed, "But it's not as nice as X-23's thought. .Right Julian?"

"Shut up Foley," Hellion groused, "You're killing the mood."

Suddenly Captain America stopped what he was doing and looked around. When he spotted the three X-Men standing there watching them he stopped and nudged Iron Man.

"Hi there boys!" Iron Man shouted across from where he stood.

"Hey Iron Man!" Rockslide shouted.

"Can you give us a hand?" Captain America asked.

"Sure Cap!" the trio shouted after the legendary American hero. X-Men or not, they all wanted to be like Captain America.

"Hellion," X-23 called out to him. Hellion stopped at turned around startled to see her standing there.

"What's up Laura?" he asked impatiently.

"I'm going back to California."

"Sure Laura see you later," he said turning back to join his friends

"And Julian," X-23 began.

"What is it?" Hellion asked annoyed turning to look at her.

"Julian, I am breaking up with you."

Hellion stopped in his tracks his mouth gapping in horror.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm ending our relationship," she said with an icy coldness she usually reserved for bad guys.

"No—you can't do this," he said walking towards her.

"I already have. It's over Julian. I no longer want to be your girlfriend."

"Dude! Come on!" Rockslide shouted at Hellion, "Captain America wants our help."

"Yeah Hellion come on!" Elixir shouted.

"We'll talk later," Hellion said turning away from her and running to join the others

"There's nothing to discuss Julian. We're through," X-23 said to his retreating back.

Sam Guthrie sat up in bed in his boxer shorts. Before him propped up on a pile of pillows was his swollen ankle which was wrapped in bandages. Sitting across from him in an overstuffed leather chair sat Bobby Drake who had just dropped in on him.

"How did I end up in this condition?" Sam asked referring to his swollen ankle.

"You zigged when you should have zagged that's all," Bobby said, "Just take it easy and relax. You'll be back on your feet in a few days. Good as new."

"Yeah well…"

"Hey chill. Just watch some Tv. I'll bring you some magazines in the morning."

"Okay," Sam said, "Have you heard anything about the rest of the team?"

"The last I heard the rescue mission was successful. Of course all the credit will go to the Avengers."

"What about X-23?" Sam asked casually as possible. Bobby smiled.

"I haven't heard anything about her. She's probably off chasing after Wolverine and feeding his massive ego. I'll tell her you're looking for her when she gets home."

"Don't be an asshole Bobby," Sam grumbled.

"Hey I'm just trying to cheer you up. I know how much you like her."

"It's not working."

"Well I'll be back tomorrow with Miss April and Miss May," Bobby said rising to his feet and making for the door, "You'll love Miss. April. Stacked man. _Stacked_!"

Sam switched on the tv and flipped mindlessly through channels for about fifteen minutes. But there was nothing on. At least nothing that could keep his mind off of Laura Kinney. He had spent the last few days avoiding her since their encounter in the pool room. He almost jumped with joy when he heard that his team had to stay home and confront the Maurauders, instead of leaving to join the rest of the X-Men for the humanitarian relief in Miami. He was not sure how he could handle the awkwardness of being around X-23 on a team mission. But even with X-23 gone, it did not prevent thoughts of her from creeping into his mind. Eventually Sam turned off the tv and went to sleep.

He dreamt of X-23, coming towards him, claws un-sheathed completely and gloriously naked…..

"Sam…Sam…," she called out to him as she crawled towards him on the bed her lips parted to be kissed…

He woke up startled.

"Don't be afraid Sam," came a cool feminine voice beside him in bed, "It's only me."

"Laura!" he said jumping up. He hit the light on the bedside table. She was in the bed beside him, wearing a T-shirt.

"When I heard about your accident. I rushed home," she said with a concerned tone reaching up to touch his jaw.

"What?" Sam asked, "But what about the relief effort?"

"The crisis was mostly resolved.. The Avengers were there to finish up. The X-Men no longer were needed. You weren't hurt badly were you?"

"No," he said touched by her concern.

"I'm glad," she said with a small smile, she leaned in to kiss him.

Sam stopped her.

"Laura don't. You need to leave. This isn't right"

"Yes it is," she said softly, he could feel her hand snaking up his boxers.

"Are you doing this to make Hellion jealous?"

"No," she replied, "I'm doing this because…I-love you."

"Laura…"

"Sshh.." she said placing a hand over his mouth, "I mean it. I broke it off with Julian. I am where I want to be. Here with you Sam."

He stopped gaping at her. She smiled.

"It's what you've wanted to hear isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes," he said quietly. And without a moments hesitation he kissed her.

It wasn't like the hotel in San Francisco. There was no foreplay involved just weeks of pent up passion and desire that was finally being released.

"Oh my God," he wheezed when they had finished, "That was awesome."

"It was," she said kissing him gently. He wrapped a large hand around her neck and gazed into her green eyes.

"I love you," he said.

"I know," she replied, "And I love you too."

"What..what made you come back?"

"I wasn't ready to give you up."

"No?" he asked.

"No," she replied, "Sam I need you to know that I am not using you to make Julian jealous. "In fact I ended our relationship before I came here, uncertain as to whether or not you would want to be with me."

"I do," Sam said.

"You know at first I thought that what we had was what you called a …fling. I thought that I had turned to you because I needed some consoling , or maybe I just wanted to be cruel to Julian. But as time went on I knew it was more than that."

"Why do you say that?" Sam asked kissing her on the forehead.

"I could not…..I just could not stop thinking about you. Even during exercises you began to creep into my thoughts. I never had that problem before."

"That's good to know," Sam said with a measure of pride. He paused and added, "There's something that got me thinking," Sam said.

"What is that?"

"When you came to me in the pool room and said that we go back to the Wharf Hotel. You corrected me when I suggested that you wanted to have sex. By saying that you wanted to make love."

"That's right," Laura said.

"Why did you use that term?"

"Because I love you," she said simply.

"Even back then?"

"Yes, I think so," she said, "I was not sure then. But now I am. I fell in love with you Sam."

"You know inside the pool room…I pushed you away. I thought that maybe you were just confused," he said.

"Why would you think that?" she asked.

"Because…when we got home. You went straight to him."

"Sam. I am sorry about that."

"No, don't be," he said, "You know it's understandable with everything that went down that day. The talking, the fight with those goons on the pier and of course the alcohol we had at dinner. I just thought that it was something that just happened. I mean sometimes after an intense fight and the near death experiences. There are hooks ups between team mates…It's a way of blowing off steam. But the next day it's forgotten. I thought that maybe that's what happened between you and me. And you wanted to put it behind you."

"No Sam," she said fiercely, "No that's not it at all. Well not entirely."

"What do you mean?"

"Sam I was created to be a weapon. A perfect ki-fighting machine. And the only way that I can function like that is by thinking clearly. And to do that I can't allow my emotions to control me."

"And.."

"And I did not know it then. But I was…I had fallen in love with you. You're right. I was confused and tortured by my sense of duty and feelings for you. I'm the leader of the Alpha Team Sam. People depend on me. It was an honour when Cyclops and Ms. Frost promoted me. It meant that they trusted me enough in a leadership position. They trusted me to lead a group of X-Men. And I couldn't do that if I was wrestling with how I felt about you and what we did. I thought that it was just easier to forget what we did and go back to Julian. And that things would go back to what they were before. But they did not. You were on my mind all the time."

"Come here," he said fiercely and kissed her. They kissed for a long time.

"How did Keller take it? Sam asked when they broke apart.

"He wanted to discuss it some more. But I was not interested. I've made up my mind and I am certain about what I want," Laura continued, "What I had with Julian was a brief infatuation which I have outgrown."

"Ouch," Sam said with a wince, "Sure hope you don't outgrow me."

"It's not like you think. Julian can be nice but can be a real –."

"Asshole."

"Yes," Laura said kissing Sam, "I am just tired of his behaviour. It is too much of a burden."

"I don't know how you put up with him."

"I became attracted to him when I first came to Xaviers. And we eventually got involved. I guess that it never occurred to me that I should end the relationship with him. Until I met you."

"Well I'm glad that I was able to show you that there was something better out there," Sam paused, "I haven't had much luck with women."

Laura propped herself up on one elbow and starred down into Sam's face.

"I find that very hard to believe."

"Why?" he laughed.

"Because you are so.."

"Nice?" Sam asked with a slight bitter laugh, "There are too many women who think that I am too nice. A push over It's not a trait that attracts many women. Believe it or not they are more likely to be attracted to jerks like Keller".

"You are not a…push over," she said, "I've noticed you stand up to others."

"Hey if I'm pushed I'll push back," he said taking a lock of her black hair between his fingers and playing with it. Although it was thick, it was also very soft and smooth like satin, "It is just that I..can be too much of gentleman sometime."

"I want you to be a gentleman," she said pressing her lips against his chest, "But I want you to…push back when necessary."

"I will," he said.

"The funny thing is, when I told Julian that it was over. He did not even try and convince me not to break up with him. He was more intent on fawning over the Captain America and the rest of the Avengers."

"If you're were mine," Sam said thickly, "I'd never take you for granted. Or let you go."

"I know," she said, "That's why I want to be with you. When I heard that you had made a constant vigil over me while I was recuperating. There was no question as to who I should really be with. I should have made that clear to you before."

"Come here," Sam said pulling her into his arms.

They made love again, this time more slowly falling asleep in each others arms. Only to wake up an hour later to the sound of an explosion. They both sat up startled to see the door blown off and a huge gaping hole in the wall. Hellion was standing in the doorway.

"Oh my God!" Julian screamed.

Sam sat up in bed disorientated at first, but Laura appeared to be fully alert.

"How can you do this to me Laura!" Julian screamed, "How can you dump me for this piece of shit!"

"You are out of line boy!" Sam screamed at him, "Way out of it."

"Calm down Julian," Laura said but her focus was on his hands.

"Don't tell me to calm down you bitch!" Julian screamed.

"Don't you talk to her like that," Sam shouted jumping up out of bed. Laura reached down on the floor for her clothes and quickly slipped them on.

"I will talk to her however the fuck I want you asshole!" Julian continued screaming, "Is that what happened two weeks ago. Did you sleep with him when you were in San Francisco?

"Don't answer that Laura," Sam said over his shoulder.

"No-No!" Julian said stepping closer to Laura his finger pointed at her, "I deserve an answer. How long have you been fucking Hayseed?"

"We slept together once before this," Laura said calmly.

"In San Francisco?" Julian asked unable to contain his anguish.

"Yes," Laura said coldly.

"How many times since?" Julian whined.

"Keller it's over," Sam said, "Don't prolong this. Just be a man and walk away."

"Fuck you Hayseed!" Julian screamed at him, "You stole my girlfriend!"

"I never stole her Keller," Sam growled, "You lost her, with your constant dis-respect and temper tantrums."

"I'm sorry Julian," Laura said, "I don't love you anymore."

"Boy that was fast," Julian sneered

"I actually have not loved you for some time," Laura said, "But decided to stay with you because…"

"Because of what?" Julian demanded.

Laura remained silent.

"She stayed with you Keller because she felt sorry for you," Sam said, "Because you can't look after yourself. Your outbursts and tantrums show how childish and helpless you really are."

"You feel sorry for me?" Julian said, "You! You white trash!"

"Hell boy," Sam said coming towards him, "You are so dead."

"Not if I kill you first," Julian screamed.

Sam lunged for Julian but forgot his swollen ankle and fell down in pain.

Julian began to laugh hysterically and hit Sam with a telekinetic blast which sent him flying against the far wall so hard that he made a dent in the wall. Laura looked at him in horror, she then turned to Julian and unsheathed her claws.

"Julian," she said, "Thank you for making this _so _easy."

"Bring it you bitch! I should have fucked you up a long time ago!" he screamed at her getting ready to unleash a telekinetic blast at her. But he was stopped by Cyclops who unleashed a burst of high blast optic energy from his eyes. Knocking Julian against the TV.

"Stop it now," Scott Summers said running into the room followed by Emma, Rogue and Beast. A crowd of at least 10 members had formed out in the hallway to watch the commotion, "Stop it right now," he said coming in between both Sam and Laura, "Julian go back to your room right now!"

"I didn't start this!" Julian said coming to his feet, "Hayseed has been screwing my girlfriend for weeks!"

"I'm not your girlfriend anymore Julian," Laura said calmly but her green eyes leached poison, "I made that quite clear to you in Miami that I no longer wanted to see you anymore. We are done."

"Come on sugah," Rogue said taking him by the arm, "We'll settle this in the morning."

Laura turned back to Sam, her face filled with concern.

"Hey shouldn't it be me fighting for you?" Sam asked sheepishly.

"We are a team," she said quietly kneeling down at his side, "We can take turns defending each other."

Julian, his face still red with anger allowed Rogue to lead him from the room. But he turned at the door.

"You know, You two really deserve each other," he sneered, "The white trash and the whore."

Angry Sam rose to his feet, his face grimacing in pain from the blow he took and his ankle.

"You're gonna take that back right now boy, or so help me God…"

"Oh what is it Hayseed," Julian continued, "Can't accept the truth? It's true that you aren't nothing but white trash whose mother has been squeezing you out since she was 14 and your father was basically illiterate."

"Sam don't," Laura said placing a restraining arm on his chest. "Ignore him. You are a better man than he is. Or ever will be."

Keller let out a sickening laugh.

"Look whose talking you're nothing but a filthy whore. I should have expected that you couldn't keep your legs closed. That's what whores do," Julian continued.

The room went silent. Sam's face reddened as he tried to get back to his feet. But something stopped him.

"It's true! It's true!" Keller screamed, "She used to trick on the streets of New York. Before she came to Xaviers. Ask her to deny it."

Sam looked at Laura searchingly. But there was nothing in Laura's face which told him that Kellers accusations were false. Laura was about to take Sams' hand to help him, but he recoiled from her touch. There was an audible gasp from people who had witnessed his rejection.

The normally stoic and reserved expression which Laura wore on her face crumpled and gave way to grief. She spun out of the room.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Julian jeered, "See now that he knows what you really are. He doesn't want you. You skank!"

"That's it Julian," Emma said from where she stood in the hallway, "You're finished here as an X-Man. Pack your bags and leave."

Almost as if in a trance, Hellion turned and walked towards his room. It was obvious that Emma had taken hold of his mind. Emma followed him.

Cyclops turned to everyone standing in the hall.

"Okay everyone shows over. Back to bed."

The spectators in the hall disbanded and everyone made their way back to their respective rooms

"Except you Josh," Scott called to him.

Josh walked over to Scott his expression quizzical.

"See to Cannonball's ankle," Scott said.

"Okay," Josh said crouching down he placed his hand over Sam's swollen ankle and closed his eyes. The swelling on Sam's ankle went down.

"How's that?" Josh asked him.

"Fine," Sam said moving his ankle around, "Thanks man."

Josh nodded and looked up at Scott Summers who nodded.

"Thanks Josh," Scott said.

"No problem," Josh answered and left.

When the room was empty Scott turned to Sam who had risen to his feet.

"You okay?" Scott asked him.

"I'll be fine as soon as I cut Kellers nuts off," Sam said through clenched teeth.

"No you won't," Scott said, "What you need to do is calm down and take it easy. I thought I told you that this wasn't a good idea."

"Hey it's not my fault!" Sam exclaimed, "She told me she dumped Keller and wanted to be with me. You saw the whole thing. Keller couldn't take no for an answer and attacked us."

"So this is serious then?" Scott asked.

"Yeah it is. Or was," Sam paused looking at Scott, "Did you know about …"

"Yes I did. It was in her past. What she did was as a child under the influence of older people who did not have her best interest as heart. You should be able to relate."

"What? What do you mean I should be able to relate?"

"Come on Sam," Scott said, "There was a time when you were a goon for the Hellfire Club."

Sam coloured and swore

"Gee..man.." Sam stammered he had tried to forget that part of his life. He had been young and full himself. And incredibly stupid.

"See," Scott said gently, "Laura's not the only one with a murky past here."  
"I messed up.."

"Yeah you did," Scott said, "You owe Laura an apology. But only God knows where she disappeared to. Talk to her in the morning."

"I'll find her now.." Sam began.

"No you won't," Scott said placing a restraining hand on his arm, "I'll talk to Laura. I'm her field commander she'll more likely listen to me than to you right now. In the meantime go cool off in the gym or danger room, and come up with a good reason as to why you were such a self righteous jerk right now."

Sam took Scott's advice and went down to the gym and ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes straight until he was exhausted and then worked out on a speed bag, pounding out his anger and frustration. Both at Keller, but mostly at himself for his stupidity. Sure he wasn't happy with the fact that Laura had been a prostitute. But that did not give him the right to be mean to her. He of all people knew the shame of being looked down on. Almost his whole life in Cumberland Kentucky, he and the rest of his family had been seen as nothing but 'white trash'. Especially after his father had died and the family barely could keep a roof over their heads and had to rely on donations from the Church for food. It was after his father died that Sam went to work in the coal mines to help support his family. It was a cave in at a mine which had caused Sam's mutant powers to come to ahead.

He didn't want to turn into the same kind of jerk he had hated all his life. Especially towards the girl he loved. He needed to speak with Laura right away. Sam raced back to the sleeping quarters and knocked on Laura's door. There was no answer.

"Laura open up," Sam said, "It's me Sam."

Still no answer.

"Laura, I'm sorry about last night. Really I am. Sweetheart please talk to me."

Still no answer.

Anole came out of his room, he was still dressed in his pajamas rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey man, if she ain't answering she's not there."

"Don't give me a hard time kid," Sam snapped at him.

"I mean it," Anole repeated, "She's not there."

Sam tried the doorknob, it turned easily in his hand, pushed it open. Laura's room was empty. Not that he had ever been inside it before. But he had suspected that her quarters would be Spartan to begin with. But there was something eerily quiet about this. He walked over to her closet and opened it. It was empty. A chill came over Sam.

He rushed down into the kitchen and found Cessily, Megan , Nori and Hisako sitting at the table chattering noisily. All conversation stopped when they saw Sam.

"Any of you ladies see Laura?" he asked hurriedly.

The girls looked at him with contempt.

"What's it to you?" Noriko asked with disgust.

"Because I care about her," Sam asked.

"After what you and Hellion did last night?" Cessily asked incredulously.

"Yeah you treated her like crap!" Hisako exclaimed.

"Yeah okay, I know I was a complete asshole," Sam said, "I know that. I'm sorry and I want to tell her that. But I can't find her."

"She's gone. She left last night," Cessily said, "I saw her with her bags."

"What do you mean she left?" Sam asked.

"Just what she said. Laura quit the X-Men. Emma and Cyclops tried to get her to stay. But she said no. She said the team was better without her," said Nori.

"Does Wolverine know?" Sam asked.

"We don't think so. He's still with the Avengers in Miami," said Megan, "Boy is he going to be pissed at you!"

"You have any idea where she could be?" Sam asked.

"We don't know," said Pixie.

"There must be some place she likes to go…" Sam persisted.

"Sometimes when she's feeling bummed from failing on an assignment. She jumps on her bike and takes off for hours," Cessily said, "No one knows where she goes. But she usually come back later in a better mood."

"I know where she is," Sam broke in, "I'll find her and apologize. I'll bring her home."

Sam turned to leave.

"Hey Sam," Cessily called to him. Sam turned to look at her.

"She likes Belgian Chocolates."

"Thanks," Sam said with a smile.

He ran back to his room and collected his jacket and keys to his truck.

He was on his way down the stairs when he saw Scott.

"Sam I need to speak with you," Scott said.

"Not now Scott. I have to leave-." Sam began.

"This will only take a minute," Scott said.

Sam sighed and followed Scott inside his office. He found Emma there leaning against the desk, her arms crossed.

"What's this about?," Sam said, " I was about to find Laura and bring her home."

"No you're not," Scott said.

"Yes I am," Sam said, "And you can't stop me."

"But I can," Emma said coolly.

"Look ," Sam said, "I messed up. I know I did big time. And I want to make it up to her."

"Emma and I discussed it further. We don't think that you going after her is such a good idea," Scott said.

"Why not?" Sam asked perplexed.

"Because after what happened last night we don't think it is," said Scott.

"I said that I was sorry. It was just unexpected," Sam replied.

"Oh we understand," Emma said, "I like to think that we live in an enlightened world. But not all men are capable of dealing with women who have a past…like Laura's."

"I've seen X-23 look devastated after taking hits from super villains, but I don't think that I have ever seen her look so devastated as when you recoiled from her touch," Scott said, "And the thing is Sam if you are not going to find Laura with the intention of resuming your relationship. Then we would just rather you stay away from her for the foreseeable future."

"No can do," Sam said firmly, "I'm not letting her go that easily."

"Sam it's cool that you're going after her because you want to right a wrong," Scott said, "But-."

"Look guys," Sam said cutting to the chase, "Do you want to me to stand here and tell you that I'm okay that she was a hooker once? No I won't because I'm not. But her past is the past. And I don't give a damn about that. We had a good thing going on. Being with Laura was the happiest I've been in a long time. I will not loose that…or her."

"You really believe that?" Emma asked seriously.

Sam walked right up to her and looked right into her eyes.

"Read my mind lady," he said fiercely.

Emma smiled.

"Alright then Sam. Bring her home safely."

First thing Sam did was drive into San Francisco proper. He parked his car and made his way to Portero Hill where her aunt had lived. He stood outside the house as long as possible, until some of the neighborhs started to appear at the window. Deciding that he didn't want to be charged by the cops. He left and went to some of the places they had visited, including the Upper Haight. He had even tried to speak with the ex-teacher that Laura had tried to help. She claimed that she had not seen Laura either.

Still no luck. A few times he thought that he had found her at some nearby cafes, and once standing outside of the cinema. But he felt embarrassed to approach the person and turned around. Finally hungry and tired he went to the Wharf Hotel. Luckily the room they had rented during their weekend was free so Sam booked it. He left Laura another message letting her know where he was and could be found. Then stripping off his clothes and jumped in the shower. He stood in the shower for several minutes, the scalding hot water stinging against his body. He was about to step out and check his phone messages again. When he felt something cold and sharp against his neck.

He froze.

"Don't move," a voice said behind him.

"Laura?" he asked.

He heard a low chuckle.

"Were you expecting Wolverine? Is there something I should know about you Sam?"

"No," he said blushing slightly, "I just didn't expect to see you like this. You didn't answer any of my messages."

"Oh I got your messages alright. All 20 of them."

"You got my messages!" he exclaimed turning his head. But she pressed her blades tighter against his neck.

"Easy Sam don't move," she warned.

"If you got my messages, then why didn't you pick up or call me?"

"I haven't decided to whether to forgive you," she replied, "Besides I was having far too much fun watching you run around the city trying to find me."

"You saw me.!"

"Yes I've been watching you for two days straight. You almost came close a few times. But backed off. Next time go with your instincts."

Sam felt Laura's free hand moving up the back of his leg around his outer thigh leg to his inner thigh, He closed his eyes and whimpered as she took his cock in her hand and began stroke. Two days without her, and he was ready to pop. But each time he felt as if he were about to reach orgasm, she stopped. When he grew flaccid she started again.

"Oh God!" he moaned reaching down to grab his cock.

"Don't move Sam," she said.

"You like this?" she teased.

"No…"

"No?" she asked amused.

"You're torturing me."

"You deserve to be tortured."

"Yes I do,"

"Are you sorry?" she asked her voice hard.

"Yes," he said.

"How sorry?"

"Very. Very Sorry Laura," he groaned.

"Do you think less of me because of my past?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I have a bad past too."

"What kind of past?"

"I worked for the Hellfire Club."

"Hellfire Club?"

"It's one of the X-Men's biggest enemies….I was a mercenary for them before Professor Xavier convinced me to join the X-Men."

He leaned back and let out a groan as he exploded against the shower wall.

He heard her retract her claws and felt her kiss his shoulder. Sam turned off the water.

"I love you Sam," she said. He turned and found her standing there, naked. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

"I love you too. And I am so sorry about how I reacted. It was instinct. Just bull headed male pride."

"I know," she said looking away and rubbing his thick forearms, "I was young..I was confused."

"You don't have to explain Laura. Not at all. I don't care about any of that. I just want you to come back home with me."

"I've quit the X-Men. I'm through as a superhero."

"What are you going to do?"

"Return to my old job."

"What do you mean killing?"

"Why not? My sources tell me that Elektra is getting older and slower. I can take over her clients."

"Come on Laura!" Sam exclaimed, "You can't do that!"

"I'm better as an assassin than as prostitute. What I offered.. I'm too old to pass as a 13 year old girl."

"Just stop it!" he exclaimed taking her by the shoulders and shaking her, "Just stop that stupid talk. You're way better than that."

Laura looked at him touched by his fervour and leaned up and kissed him deeply.

"You're forgiven. Go home Sam. Go back home to the X-Men," She said after they pulled apart.

"I'm not going back without you."

"If you're afraid of Wolverine. I'll speak to Logan-"

"I'm not afraid of Wolverine," he said firmly, "I'm not leaving you."

"Look Sam we're over. I'm ending this."

"You can't and I won't let you."

"You're just being stupid and stubborn," she said impatiently.

"Yeah I am. That's who and what I am stubborn. I'm not giving up on us."

"Sam you aren't comfortable with who I was..I am."

"You know what maybe I'm not. Maybe it bothers my manly pride and Southern upbringing. And maybe it still does bother me a little bit. But not enough to end what we have. We have a great thing going Laura and right now all I want is you."

"Why?"

"'Cause you're amazing. Cause you're sexy. Cause you love and respect me. Because when I'm with you I'm happy."

She looked at him startled.

"You really think I'm only here because Cyclops forced me to, or because I felt guilty about how I reacted. And yeah I am here partly because of that. But I'm here for a much bigger reason."

"And what is that?"

"Back before we moved out here. We had a run in with a group called The Vault. Part of what they do is mess with your mind your memories. Well one of the members to inside my mind and made me think that I was married to her for 20 years and even had a family with her. Even though I know it was just a memory. My heart doesn't. I felt as if a part of me was ripped out when that happened. I try not to think about it very much. But it was like there was a huge gapping hole there that was never replaced. Until I got involved with you."

"You are serious?"

"Yes Laura I am serious."

"I…I feel happy..and content when I'm with you Sam. Just like when I was with my family."

"You're a part of a family with the X-men. But you and I are a team," he said kissing her. They parted, and Laura smiled.

"Think of it this way," he said, "If this doesn't work out. You can kick me to the curb like Keller."

"Unless you get rid of me first," she said with a small smile.

"Well that's the risk you take when you're in a relationship."

She nodded.

"I won't be getting rid of you," he said, "I love you."

"I'm not ready to go back yet."

"That's fine. But I'm staying with you until you do go back."

"Sam the team needs you," she said.

"They need you too," he pointed out, "But Cyclops knows how to reach me if they run into trouble, and if he calls I'm there like that". Sam snapped his fingers. "In the meantime I'm staying with you. It will give us time to get to know each other better. If you don't mind I'd like to show you my farm like I promised."

"I would like that very much," Laura said.

"Okay then. Okay," Sam replied he took her face in his hands.

"You know….I think that I need some more convincing," she said rubbing his chest.

"Hold that thought," he said breaking away from her. He went back into the hotel room and

came back with a box of Choclatique Belgian chocolates.

"Will these convince you to come back with me?" he said handing them to her.

"Oh Sam!" she breathed, "How did you know?"

"I did some sleuthing."

"You know two years of dating Julian. He never ever bought me chocolates."

"What did he buy you?"

"Lingerie."

"Figures," Sam snorted with derision.

Laura opened the box and took out a chocolate. Staring straight at Sam she said,

"Share it with me?" she asked. She placed a piece between her teeth and raised her lips to him for him to take it. Sam took her in his arms and bit off piece of the chocolate, his lips touching hers. Soon their tongues were mingling in a long deep kiss the chocolate mingling between their mouths. Sam pulled her hard against his body and they melted back into the showers.


	3. Chapter 3

**X-23: Southern Comfort Part III**

**Four months later…..**

It was shortly after 3pm and Laura Kinney had just parked her bike in the parking lot in the basement of Greymalkin Industries.

Her bike was a silver grey Hardcore, custom made to order by Tough Customs in Northern Ontario Canada. The bike was a gift to her from Logan for her 18thth birthday two years ago. She rode the bike everywhere she went, including to her classes at UC Berkley, which she had just finished a month earlier. Right now she was serving as a camp counselor for young children in at Camp Edmo in Marin County. Now she was just waiting for her exam results and to see which graduate school she had been accepted to in order pursue her masters degree in Psychology. She had already received preliminary acceptance to the University of Sacramento and the University of Pittsburg. But there were other schools she was waiting to hear from. And schools who would offer her a scholarship for her tuition and expenses.

She dismounted her bike and picked up her nap sack and removed her helmet and made her way up to the main residence of Greymalkin Industries the home and base of operations of the X-Men. She was first going to get something to eat, before joining the rest of the Alpha Team on a practice run in the danger room.

She had just reached the main level and was on her way to the kitchen when she heard a low cool voice behind her, a perfect blend of Boston Old Money and English upper crust.

"Ms. Kinney."

Laura turned around and found Emma Frost standing in the doorway to her office. She was wearing a white skirt and white silk blouse. A quick glance told Laura that it was bespoke. Elisabeth Bradock had informed her that all of Emma's clothing was made to measure by a tailor on London's Saville Row.

"Good afternoon Ms-," she began but stopped herself, "Good afternoon Emma."

"Can I see your for a moment?"

"I was just about to get something to eat before I joined the group for practice."

"This won't take a moment," Emma responded.

"Okay," Laura replied following Emma inside her office. It was a beautiful office, large and spacious. With a lovely view of the city. As expected it was mostly decorated in white. Emma took a seat behind her desk and gestured to Laura to take a seat across from her. Laura did so, placing her motorcycle helmet and backpack on the floor.

"Well my dear," Emma began, "Until this very morning I was one of a kind among X-men. It now appears that I am unique no more."

"Sorry?" Laura asked perplexed.

"I was an X-man who held a Rhodes Scholarship."

"Are you saying?" Laura asked anxiously leaning forwards in her chair.

Emma opened her desk drawer and handed Laura an envelope.

"Don't worry I didn't read it. I didn't have to," Emma a said, "We all know what a thick letter from a university means."

Laura took the envelope from Emma and opened it. It was all she could do to stop herself from tearing it open in her excitement. She read it quickly. It was just as Emma's had said it confirmed her acceptance to Oxford University. As a Rhodes scholar.

"Emma this is wonderful news!" she said, "I do not know what to say."

"Say nothing," Emma said with a small smile, "I'll say it all. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"You certainly deserve it you worked hard for it."

"Yes I did."

"Your mother would be proud."

"I..I," Laura said choking up she could feel the heat of tears at the back of her eyes, "I would like to think so."

"I know so," Emma said firmly, "Now there are some people you should tell."

"Yes I should," Laura said, "Is Logan back from New York yet?"

"I don't believe so. But I think that I heard Cyclops say that he expected that he would be home tomorrow or the day afterwards."

"I'll go and text him," Laura said reaching into her pocket to fish out her iPhone.

"I don't think that Logan knows what a Rhodes scholarship is. But he will be happy for you nevertheless."

"Yes," Laura replied but paused, " I just thought..…if I accept the scholarship."

"It means that you will have to study in England and you will be away from us for almost a full year."

"Yes," Laura said, "Will that be a problem-."

"It will be difficult. But we'll manage. However our loss will be Excalibur's gain."

"Excalibur?" Laura asked, "You mean I can continue to be an X-Men in England?"

"Of course," Emma said, smiling, "I've already spoken with Charles and Captain Britain about what would happen when you received the scholarship-."

"Wait," Laura said cutting her off, "What do you mean when I received the scholarship?"

"Don't worry my dear," Emma said holding up her hands in protestation, "I had nothing to do with your selection. Nothing whatsoever. I knew that you would get it, with your grades and your extra curricular activities you would be absolutely a shoe in. Besides if I really wanted to interfere I would make sure you were accepted at a school closer to home. And you certainly don't need help from me on that account."

"No," Laura said.

"There is one more person you will be telling won't you?" Emma asked.

Laura smiled.

"Sam Gutherie will be home later this evening. He sent me a text message before I left for camp this morning."

"Your relationship with him has certainly progressed in the last few months."

"He's very dear to me," Laura said with unfeigned earnestness, "I like being with him. Thank you again Emma."

Cannonball sat at the side of Blackbird-3 gazing out at the sky below. Around him his teammates were having an animated conversation. Or argument.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" Mirage snapped at Cypher, "LeBron Jones is the best shooter in the NBA bar none."

"You have to be kidding!" Cypher replied, "Darryl Wecker was voted MVP for second time in a row."

"That's only because he's the only white player left in the MBA-," Mirage began.

"Can you two just do this another time?" Magma asked, " I have a splitting head ache."

"I can cure it for you," Sunspot said slyly.

"Oh go to hell!" Magma said brushing him off.

"So guys," Magik said, "How are we going to celebrate this little victory?"

"The chicken wing place?" Doug asked.

"Uh no more greasy food," Magik said wrinkling her nose, "Can we not have some place more elegant?"

"To hell with that!" Cypher said, "I want to go someplace where I can get totally shit faced."

"Isn't that what you and Bobby Drake and Roberto do on the weekends?" Karma asked.

"The weekend is three whole days from now," Cypher replied, "I need to de-stress now. Especially considering that I almost died."

Cannonball listened idly. But his mind was somewhere else..on someone else. He used the computer to check his text messages. Just as he thought. There were two messages from her. Laura Kinney, X-23. The last one sent two minutes ago. Cannonball cliqued on it. She was inviting him out to at Ebisu in San Francisco later this evening. Cannonball smiled and texed her back saying that he would meet her there at the appointed time.

"Hey capitan!" Sunspot said, " Sam!"

"Uh what?" Cannonball asked turning around to face them.

"Where do you want to go and party?" Sunspot asked.

"Doesn't matter to me," Cannonball said turning back to the screen.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter to you?" Karma asked, "You're part of the team too."

"You guys do what you want. I won't be able to go out for dinner with you," Cannonball replied

"Why not?" Cypher asked," We just finished kicking major ass. It's time to get totally hosed."

"I have other plans," Cannonball said.

"It has to be the clone," Mirage snorted.

Cannonball glared at her.

Like most members of the New Mutants, Cannonball had known Mirage for years. She had actually come up with him through the ranks when they had joined the X-men. But after the New Mutants had been reformed when the X-Men had relocated to the west coast, and Danni had rejoined the X-Men. She and Sam had embarked on a brief affair which mostly consisted of them either fighting or having sex. Cannonball had found it more of a hassle than it was really worth. It was hard to maintain the respect of other squad members when he was sleeping with one of them, then there was the unbearable tensions that came up after they had one of their fights. Danni was impossible to communicate with and she barely obeyed him in the field. So Sam had ended up breaking it off. Danni had not entirely forgiven him for it. Moonstar had a prickly demanding personality that Sam should have reminded himself of before he decided to get involved with her. She did not take rejection well. She made a point of mocking his relationship with Laura at every opportunity that she got. Cannonball had asked Cyclops to have her re-assigned, but Cyclops told him no. That they couldn't always work with only people they liked. This would be a good opportunity for Cannonball to grow a thicker skin and to think about who he decided to sleep with in the future.

"You're pushing us over for your girlfriend?" Magma asked incredulously.

"Come on Sam," Magik said, "This victory is important. Can't you just see her another time?"

"Or you can bring her along?" Karma said.

"No," Cannonball said, "She requested a private meeting."

"You know Gutherie," Mirage said, "Ever since you hooked up with her. You really have lost your balls."

"Bitterness is not sexy," Cannonball shot back.

"It has nothing to do with us," Mirage replied, "I'm serious. The way you follow her around. It's embarrassing."

"Dani's right," Cypher said, "You really look like her dog on a leash."

"I don't follow her around Doug," Cannonball snapped, "I like being in her company. I love her and I love being with her."

"Is the feeling mutual?" Sunspot asked.

"Of course it is," Sam said.

"You sure about that?" Magik asked, "I mean she was involved with Hellion and she threw him over real quick for you."

Cannonball bristled.

"That was different," Cannonball said.

"How was it?" Mirage asked.

"Keller was abusive. And she got sick of him," Cannonball said.

"And you were conveniently there for her to jump into your arms?" Magma asked.

"No…," Sam said, "I was there to show her that there was something much better."

"You better Guthrie?" Cypher scoffed, "Keller was loaded. What the hell did you have to offer her, other than your biceps?"

"There's more to a person than money," Cannonball snapped.

"Is there really?" Mirage asked wistfully, "I mean think of all the shoes you can buy!"

"This is too good to be true," Mirage said shaking her head, "She's on the rebound Sam. She's using you. It's just a matter of time before she throws you over for someone else."

Shortly after 7:30pm Sam Gutherie walked into Ebisu. He was wearing a pair of beige chino's, a blue gingham shirt and his customary motorcycle boots.

Sam gave the waitress his name and she escorted him to a table near the back of the room where Laura Kinney sat. She was wearing a sleeveless purple shell print blouse, and black corduroy pants. But his eyes particularly lit up at seeing the thick gold band on her right finger. Sam had bought it during a trip to Key West. Sam had it made by a jeweler who had it made directly from a melted gold bar that had been retrieved from a sunken ship off the Florida Keys. It was slightly bigger and bulkier than a man's wedding band. And it was rough on the outside and her was engraved on the inside Sam was not sure that she would have accepted it. But she had. She wore it on her right hand and whispered to him that she would place it the another hand if things ever changed. Sam got her meaning. She was saying that if they ever got married she would wear it on her left hand.

"Hey sweetheart," he said leaning over to kiss her on the lips. The temptation to make the kiss deeper was overwhelming since he had missed her so much but they were in a public place.

"Sam," she said, "I'm glad that you agreed to meet me on such short notice."

"It's been five whole days," he said taking a seat and reaching up to take a lock of her hair between his fingers, "I've missed you every second of it. Besides it's not every day that I get invited out to dinner."

"Well it's either that or I cook for you," she replied, "And you know how bad that turned out."

Sam knew she was referring to the two weeks they had spent at his farm house in Kentucky after they had began dating. It was a time they used to get to know each other. Most of the time they spent fixing up Sam's house. Sam discovered that Laura was a quick study when it came to doing general repairs, such as installing dry wall, changing doors or installing plumbing. But she was lousy at cooking. Everything she tried to cook was either overcooked, undercooked or had too much salt. After a few attempts Sam suggested that he commander the cleaning duties and she could look after the washing up.

"You did okay," he said leaning in to kiss her, "So what's so important that you wanted to see me outside the compound?"

"You know that I want to go to graduate school in the fall. To get my masters degree."

"Yes," Sam said, "I thought that you already received preliminary acceptance to some big name schools."

"Yes I did," she said reaching up to touch his stubbled jaw with the back of her fingers, "But I just don't want to go to graduate school. I also want a scholarship. The X-men have been kind enough to fund my post secondary education. I was…happy that they saw some potential in me….beyond…"

Laura let her voice trail off and Sam got her meaning. He knew she referred to her skills as an assassin.

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste," Sam said leaning in to kiss her on the forehead.

"Yes," Laura replied, "But I want to start to pay my own way."

"I understand."

"So I applied for a scholarship back in the fall."

"And let me guess. You got one."

"Yes," Laura replied with a measure of pride, "I just received notification when I arrived home that I received a Rhodes Scholarship."

"Rhodes scholarship..." Sam asked with a slight frown, "You mean to go to Oxford?"

"Yes," she said, "It's one of the most prestigious scholarships around. My mother was the recipient of the Fulbright when she was younger."

"Good gosh!" Sam said beaming and kissing her, "I knew that you were smart. Congratulations! We ought to order a bottle of champagne."

"Maybe later," Laura admitted, "But I wanted you to be the first person to know. Well second. Emma already knew."

"Figures," Sam said, "There's not much you can keep from a telepath."

"I want you to be the first to know. Not only because of how special you are to me. But so that you can start making plans."

"Plans for what?"

"To move…with me to England."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Sam began, "What do you mean move with you to England?"

"Just what I said," she replied frowning slightly, "While I'm working on my graduate degree. I want you to be with me."

"Laura, I just can't pick up and move."

"Why not?"

"Because I have a team to lead."

"Someone else can stand in for you while you're away," she replied, "You won't be gone that long. Just a year. And besides we can both continue our duties as X-Men with Excalibur."

"Laura, I don't want to join Excalibur. I want to stay right here where I am. I worked hard to be leader of the New Mutants. Just like you worked hard to be leader of the Alpha Team. I'm not about to just throw it all away."

"Being with me would be throwing it all away?" she asked hotly.

"Come on Laura you know what I mean."

"No I don't Sam. I thought that you wanted to be with me?"

"I do want to be with you. But I don't plan on up rooting and putting my life on hold just because you're going away to graduate school in England."

"So then how are we going to be a couple?"

"We'll see each other at holidays and talk on the phone everyday. There's e-mail and webcasts. I can come over and visit from time to time. It's going to be rough going at first. I'll miss having you sneak into my bed at night. But like you said it's only for a year. Nine months. Not even a year."

"No. I do not want that," she said firmly.

"You don't want what?"

"A long distance relationship."

"And why not?"

"Because they don't work."

"Says who?"

"I have seen it with my own eyes. Foreign exchange students and the ones who are there from out of states who are in long distance relationships. Their relationships all end up badly."

"That's not true Laura. Not in all cases," Sam said rubbing her shoulders, "We can make this work. We'll keep in constant touch and think how much hotter the sex will be after we've been apart for so long."

"Is that all you care about?" Laura's asked hotly, "Your libido?"

Several people at nearby tables turned to look at them.

"Shh.. Laura keep your voice down," Sam said leaning in towards her, "All I'm saying is that absence will make the heart grown fonder."

"That is my point Sam," she said ,"Absence does make the heart grow fonder. For someone else."

"Are you planning on hooking up with someone else over there?" he asked seriously.

"Of course not."

"And neither am I . Sweetheart I love you. And I trust you. Do you trust me?"

"Yes of course."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is not just the possibility of being sexually attracted to someone else. I'm talking of a greater threat. That of growing apart."

"That won't happen. Like I said, we'll keep in constant touch. Burning up the phone long with long distance calls. Boy will Emma be mad. New England Old monies are such tight wards."

Sam laughed at his little joke but Laura did not smile.

"The phone and the internet are not the same thing."

"Laura plenty of couples…military service people for instance… keep in touch that way and don't end up breaking up."

Just then the server arrived with their food.

"Look," Sam said taking up his chop sticks, "Why don't we talk about something else. This is a great day to celebrate. Besides we have three whole months before you go off to school. In England. We'll soak up every moment we have together before you leave."

"No Sam we won't," she said pushing away her plate of food.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked,

"If we're going to break up in the fall. Then there really is no point putting off the inevitable."

"Jeez Laura," Sam said feeling his temperature beginning to rise, "Who said anything about breaking up?"

"You don't want to be with me in England."

Sam put down his chop sticks.

"No I have responsibilities here to the X-Men. I won't abandon them. If our situation was reversed I wouldn't demand the same of you."

Laura fell silent.

"Then there there's nothing more to say."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to be in along distance relationship Samuel."

Sam stiffened at being called by his full name. He only usually heard it from his mother or when he was being talked down to. And Sam hated being spoken down to.

"And I see no reason for us to continue on as is, if we are just going to be separated in the fall. We may as well end this relationship right now."

Sam looked at her his blue grey eyes turning a darker shade of grey as they did when his mood was piqued.

"If that's what you want Laura."

Laura opened her mouth to say something. But ended up shutting it. She nodded and slid out of the booth. Without looking at him. She reached into her pocket and took out a hundred dollar bill and placed it on the table.

"That's for the meal," she mumbled. Normally Sam would have argued, his Southern upbringing insisted that he cover the bill. But he was too shocked by what had happened. He merely nodded.

Laura turned on her heel to leave the room, but stopped and walked back to him.

"I should give this back to you," she said her voice flat and emotionless, but her hand shook as she reached down to place an item on the table.

Sam looked on the table and felt as if he had just been punched in the gut. It was the ring he had given her.

Two nights later Bobby Drake, Doug Ramsey, Roberto DaCosta, Shiro Yoshida and Guido Carosella (who was visiting from New York) stood in the main foyer of Graymalkin Industries.

"So guys," Bobby said, "It's all set. We're going to AJ's."

"Yeah man," Guido said with a measure of excitement, "My cousine told me all about it. If you can't pick up a chick there, then you have to have the clap for sure. AJ's is a done deal."

"Okay then AJ's it is," Bobby said.

"You guys wait up," Sam Gutherie called out to them. Bobby turned surprised at see walking over to them.

"What are you doing here?" Bobby asked him.

"You guys are going bar hoping in San Francisco?" Sam asked smiling.

"Yeah," Bobby said looking Sam over slowly. In a pair of dark slacks and white Oxford shirt and sports jacket. Sam looked decidedly over dressed. The rest of the men were wearing jeans and T-shirts.

"Mind if I come along?" Sam asked.

"Not at all," Roberto said, "But we're going to AJ's."

"That's no problem," Sam said.

"You know that AJ's is a pick up joint right?" Bobby asked, "And the barmaids uniforms might offend your girlfriends sensibilities."

"That's fine," Sam said with a smile, "There's only me."

Bobby gave him another look.

"Okay then…let's roll."

AJ's bar was one of the more happening bars in San Francisco. It was more famous for its wait staff who wore skimpy halter tops. The bar tended to attract college boys and young twenty something males who were there for a good time and looking to score. It was Bobby Drake's favourite club. Partly so that he could drool over the waitresses . But also partly because he stood little chance of getting rejected. Sam wasn't that fond of it. He thought that the bar attracted too many knuckleheads who were out to prove their manhood. They found a table near the bar and promptly got down to ordering a round of drinks.

As Sam sat there he could not help but feel out of sorts. But he did not know why.

Four months ago this would have been his natural environment. But his attitude towards the bar changed after he had gotten involved with Laura Kinney. He had found the time he had spent with her to be infinitely more enjoyable. But they found that their individual responsibilities made their time together more precious. Sure they socialized with the rest of the team. And even attended an occasional party thrown by one of her fellow students at Berkley. But of most of their enjoyable time had been spent together alone. Either driving up the coast, going to Vegas or trips up to the wilds of Oregon to mountain climbing.

But now that they were no longer together Sam felt strange… But he was tired of being cooped up at Greymalkin, besides training and working out he didn't have that much to do. All he kept doing was replaying the fight he had with Laura in his head. He felt a mixture of emotions…and he was unsure what to do. He needed a distraction. And knowing that it was Saturday night he figured that he might as well invite himself to go out bar hopping with the boys.

But now he had done so, he felt slightly weird. As if he shouldn't be here right now. He was not sure what it was? Guilt? Remorse? But why should he? He had done nothing wrong? It was Laura who had decided that he either follow her overseas like an obedient puppy or they needed to break it off. He had a right to say no, his life was over here…his family was over here. They needed him…didn't they? (the last time he had called home his mother had actually rushed him off the phone because her soap was starting) It was his right to stay put…he had been one woman's slave and he was not going to let that happen again.

Sam wondered what Laura was doing right now? He hadn't seen her since the night at the restaurant. Not that he expected to. Apart from the fact that they had separate lives at Graymalkin. He was sure that considering their last fight. She would probably making it her chief aim to stay away from him. He wondered if she was out looking for a new boyfriend. He knew that she wasn't the type of woman who picked up men. But whenever he went to Berkley to pick her up after class. There was always some guy checking her out with great interest. She certainly could have her pick of any guy she wanted. Was she looking for another pair of arms to get over him. The same way she had used him to get over Julian Keller? Sam shook his head no that was wrong. He was sure that he wasn't just a phase to get over her ex. She had actually dumped Keller to be with him. He was positive that her feelings for her were genuine. There was something else going on…but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"So what's this about Guthrie?" Doug asked bringing him out of his reverie.

"What's what about?" Sam asked taking a swig of his beer.

"For the past couple of months you bail on all our weekend invites to go party. And now you suddenly invite yourself? What gives?"

"Nothing," Sam said taking a sip of his beer.

"The Ice Princess know that you're here?" Bobby asked.

"Pardon me?" Sam asked coldly.

"Kinney," Bobby said, "She know you're here? You've been practically inseparable since you two hooked up."

"That's not true," Sam said.

"Could have fooled us," Shiro laughed.

"We're taking a break," Sam said.

"So you had a fight?" Roberto asked.

"No," Sam lied, "We just decided to take it easy for awhile. She's busy with her job and wants to focus on that. So we decided that we would just take it easy."

"When did this happen?" Bobby asked.

"Sometime ago," Sam said in voice that said that showed that he didn't want to get into it any further.

"Well man," Doug said placing a large hand on his shoulder, "The important thing is that you're here. Welcome back."

"Thanks," Sam said giving him a small smile.

"Who knows," Shiro said, "You might even find yourself a new girlfriend."

"That's not what I'm here for," Sam objected.

"Of course it's what you're here for," Roberto said, "That's why this bar exists. To meet and hook up."

"And speaking of which," Guido said leaning over the table, "Don't look now. But fellas at the table across the room. There is a table filled with a bunch of hotties!"

"Where?" Roberto asked looking around.

"Ten o'clock," Guido said.

Bobby looked over in their direction and waved frantically.

Sam groaned.

"Smooth idiot," Doug said shaking his head.

"I'm going to have to go and rescue this," Roberto said rising to his feet, "Excuse me gentlemen."

"Come on man don't do that," Sam said.

"What do you mean don't do that?" Guido asked, "We came over here for a purpose. You can sit and mourn your girlfriend. But we came here to accomplish a mission."

"Yeah I bet you she's out right now picking up a new guy," Shiro said.

"Laura doesn't pick up guys," Sam said running to Laura's defense.

"She doesn't?" Shiro asked, "You could have fooled me. I mean all I see her and her friends do is drool over guys. Scott has to practically beat that Megan chick off with a stick."

"Knowing Kinney she's already moved on. You deserve to do the same thing," Doug said slapping the table with his hand, "Now cheer up. Looks like Roberto was successful."

Sam looked up and saw Roberto making his way back over to the table followed by about four young women in their age range. Given the tight clothing and the amount of cleavage shown they evidently had the same idea in mind that the men did.

Doug and Shiro pulled up chairs from a nearby empty table and made space for them. Although they claimed to be there to celebrate a promotion that they had received, the way that they were dressed said otherwise. Sam was sure that none of the men would end up disappointed. A woman who was wearing a low cut white dress which showed off her ample cleavage took a seat beside Sam. She introduced herself as Christine. It did not take long for her to start flirting with Sam.

She commented on his physique and his looks and asked him if he played football. This flattered Sam who had always wanted to play football even back in high school. Before he was forced to drop out because of his fathers death. Though at 140 lbs soaking wet he doubted that he would have made the cut. It flattered him…that she thought of him like that and Sam felt himself begin to loosen up and thoughts of Laura Kinney began to fade away.

With the compliments from Christine and more than a few drinks under his belt thoughts of Laura Kinney began to fade away. And he was soon regaling Christine and the whole table with trips he had taken to Key Largo, Paris and Brazil.

When the women got up to go to the bathroom. Roberto elbowed him.

"So man you going for it?" Roberto asked.

Sam thought about it for a momment and shook his head no. He still wasn't sure…

"Why not?" Roberto asked, "She's hot!"

"Not my type," Sam said taking another sip of his beer.

"What's not your type?" Roberto asked, "With ta-ta's like that? How can she not be your type? She is everyman's type! And more to the point she wants to play hide the salami with you!"

"I'm not into casual stuff.." Sam said.

"Since when?" Bobby scoffed, "You didn't have a problem with it before you hooked up with Kinney. Remember the Danish sisters?"

Sam blushed.

"It's clear that she likes you," Shiro said with a gesture of his head towards the bathroom, "And you like her. You should go for it."

"Forget it man," Doug laughed, "Sam won't go for it because he's whipped. Kinney has him by the balls."

"No she doesn't," Sam snapped defensively.

"She doesn't?" Doug asked turning to him, "You could have fooled me. I mean why else would you be turning down grade A ass unless you were still under the spell of your ex."

Sam opened his mouth but could find nothing to say. Doug was right, he was still thinking about Laura.

"I am not under Laura's spell or any woman's spell," Sam lied.

"Then prove it," Roberto said leaning over the table, "Be a southern gentleman and show her some hospitality!"

"Yeah man," Shiro said laughing, "Prove to us that you're your own man and not the Ice Princess' dog on a leash."

Deep in Sam's gut he felt that he shouldn't rise to their bait. He really wasn't in the mood for a mindless hook up. Sam thought about Laura and her last words to him about calling it quits and the way she spoke down to him. Sam had felt an overwhelming sense of shame and anger. It made him think of Serafina and how she used him. He wasn't about to let that happen again. If Laura didn't want him. Then he would be with a woman who did. He wasn't going to spend the rest of his life mourning her. When Christine returned to the table he smiled at her. After about another half hour. Christine leaned in and asked Sam if he was ready to leave. He nodded. Christine got up and left. Sam reached into his wallet and extracted a few twenty dollar bills and threw them on the table.

"See you boys later," Sam said getting up. He was almost at the entrance when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and found Bobby Drake.

"What is it Drake?" he asked.

"I've just been thinking.." Bobby began hesitantly.

"About what?" Sam asked slightly annoyed.

"This thing with the Ice Princess it's not permanent is it?"

"Why the hell do you suddenly care about my love life?"

"I don't," Bobby admitted, "But I just thought that you liked her. You don't seem too thrilled about this whole thing."

"I'm fine Bobby."

"What if Kinney finds out.."

"You know what? I don't give a shit what Laura Kinney thinks," Sam said with such viciousness that it made Bobby step back, "She doesn't want me. I'm moving on."

And with that Sam went wheeling out of the bar into the San Francisco night.

It was almost four when Sam climbed the stairs from the garage at Graymalkin to the house proper. He went up to his bedroom and looked at his appearance in the mirror. His hair was tousled, he had a five o'clock shadow around his jaws and his eyes were red. Sam determined that he looked like crap. If his mother could see him now, she would slap him upside the head. Hell she probably would keel over in shock. A devout Christian she probably thought that Sam was still a virgin. He had been when he joined the X-Men. But years of adventuring and then joining X-Force proper he had dispensed with that quickly.

"Oh fuck," he said to himself. What the hell had he done?

What had happened had been surreal. They had no sooner gotten into her car when she took out her purse she removed a small vial with white powder and began to pour the contents on the back of her hands.

Sam froze.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"After the night I had," she said rolling up a dollar bill, "I need a little pick me up. How about you?"

All Sam could do was shake his head in horror. He had no idea she was a coke head. She inhaled the white powder and breathed in deeply. Before Sam knew it she was fumbling with his pants and climbing on to his lap. Sam felt as if he should refuse. But his body would not cooperate with his brain. She began to ride him furiously. Sam closed his eyes…in order to forget his embarrassment he fixed his mind on the mostly pleasurable thing in his life.

Laura Kinney.

Before he knew it was over.

"Man that was amazing," she said. Sam merely nodded.

"Why don't we do this properly back at my place?"

The last thing Sam wanted to do was have a repeat performance with this woman. He just felt so soiled. But he had to get rid of her.

"Okay," Sam said, "I'll go get my car and follow you."

"Okay," she said.

Sam climbed out from under her and walked over to his truck which was located on the other side of the parking lot. Once there he waved to her and climbed inside his truck. He waited until she moved her car out onto the street and he then drove off in the opposite direction.

Sam stripped off his clothes and jumped in the shower. He toweled himself off and tried to get some sleep. But found that all he could do was toss and turn in frustration. He felt guilty about what he had done. He had worked hard to get away from women like Christine. Months ago would have resisted a woman like that. And why had he gone bar hopping in the first place? Why had he gone with Christine? Because he needed to prove to his buddies and himself that he wasn't hung up on his ex-girlfriend? He felt angry with himself for resorting to this shallow and silly behaviour.

Sam decided to do penance by going down to the gym and participating in a grueling heavy work out. But first he had to go down to the kitchen and fix himself a protein drink. He thought that because of the nature of the hour the kitchen would be empty.

But he found someone already there standing before one of the huge fridges. It was Laura, she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The sight of her standing there hit him like a bucket of cold water. And Sam remembered his final words to Bobby the night before about not 'giving a shit' about what Laura Kinney thought about him being with another woman. He suddenly felt as if he did care about what she thought. He cared a whole lot. For her to find out that just a few days after they had split he was out chasing tail, would make it seem as if he had moved on and wasn't that invested in their relationship to begin with.

He starred at her for a moment conflicted as to whether or not to turn around and leave. By time he decided to turn around and leave, Laura was already straightening up.

Laura threw a few items on the counter top behind her and straightened up to face him. She froze when she saw Sam. They starred at each other for a few seconds in awkward silence. Then Laura turned away from him and went about fixing her meal. Fine Sam thought in disgust, be that way. He walked over to the cupboard where he kept his jug of protein supplements.

When he opened the cupboard door a huge jar of pickles came flying down on top of him. Sam stood back just in time, but the jar hit the counter and shattered, shards of glass went flying everywhere, including up into his face a huge sliver hitting him right in his eyebrow and in the face.

Sam cried out in alarm. Laura stopped what she was doing and rushed to his side.

"Argh!" he cried out.

"Hold still Sam," she said taking his face in her hands. Slowly she reached up and removed the shard of glass from the corner of his eye.

"My God that was close," he said.

Laura nodded, grabbing a nearby napkin off of the counter she held it up to the bleeding corner of his eye.

"Who the hell stocked the cupboard?" he demanded.

"I do not know," she said examining his face. She reached up and extracted two more pieces of glass from his face.

"I think that your injuries are mostly superficial," she said, "But you should still see into having Dr. McCoy check you out."

"I will," Sam said nodding. Despite himself Sam reached up to stroke her hair. Laura flinched but did not pull away from him.

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked.

"It's the shelter where I volunteered. One of the staff members is sick. And I have to go and help out," she said gently rubbing his biceps. Sam noticed that whenever they were alone she always loved to touch his muscles. Specifically his abs and arms. It made him feel proud and dissuaded him from any temptation to cheat on his diet.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked. There were times in the past when she was working overnight and he would insist on accompanying her. Waiting outside while she worked in case anything happened.

"No I am fine."

"You know how much I care and worry about you?" he asked slipping his arms around her and pulling her close. She smelled so nice, that perfume she wore 'Play" by Givenchy coupled with her own natural body odor was enough to drive him crazy.

"Sam.." she began

"I really do Laura. You mean so much to me…I've never been happier in my life than I've been with you."

He bent his head to kiss her. To Sam's surprise she didn't resist. In fact she pulled him closer making the kiss much deeper, they stood in the middle of the kitchen kissing for five full minutes. Sam began to crowd her against the counter reaching for her zipper.

"Not here," she whispered stopping him.

"Laura. It's five in the morning. No one's gonna walk in."

"The kitchen staff Sam, start soon," she said. Then taking him by the hand she lead him out of the kitchen and down the hall to one of the nearby conference rooms. Once inside they reached _for each other again, kissing deeply. _

_Sam remembered the last time they were together. It had been almost two weeks ago when X-Force had been stationed at Angels place in Colorado. X-Force had met there to get ready for a mission. But they had been stalled there due to the fact that the mark they were going to attack had not arrived at the rendez-vous point. Laura had sent him a text message saying that she was missing him and she was bored. And that if she knew that they were going to be delayed like that she would have brought one of her text books to study from. The next day, Sam had hitched a ride with Emma who was taking her private plane to Nevada for a meeting. Sam's arrival had been a complete surprise to everyone. Especially Laura. Needless to say Laura had not gotten any studying done. They had spent the whole time holed up in her bedroom. Sam had not left until Wolverine banged on the door telling Sam that he had to leave because Laura needed to conserve her strength. Then Sam picked her up and carried her to a nearby couch where they made love slowly and tenderly._

"Oh my God!" he rasped when they had finished, "That was so amazing."

"Yes," she nodded smiling. But the expression on her face became more serious as she took his face in her hands.

"What?" he asked.

"Hold still," she said, "There's a piece of glass right here," she slowly plucked a shard of glass from his cheek. She showed it to him before allowing it to fall to the carpet.

"Always looking out for me huh?"

"You would do the same for me," she said softly pulling him close.

"Yeah I would…I'd do almost anything for you," he said. No sooner did the words come out of his mouth than did Sam realize his mistake.

"Would you really?" she asked kissing him, "Then come with me the UK."

"Laura. I can't," he said between kisses.

"Yes…you can," she said kissing him back.

"No sweetheart I can't," he said.

"So much for doing anything for me," she said pushing him away.

"Laura that is not fair," he said, "You know very well how I feel about you."

"What I am hearing is empty words," she said climbing up out of the couch, "This was a mistake."

"Why do I have to prove myself to you" Sam asked angrily.

"That is not what I am asking!" Laura said gathering her clothes to dress, "I want you to be with me."

"You know if you're so desperate for us to be together why don't you stay here and go to school? Don't tell me that you weren't accepted to a school in the US."

"You are not seriously asking me to give up a Rhodes Scholarship?"

"Why not," Sam said angrily, "You are asking me to give up my position with the New Mutants to be at your side."

"If you can not tell the difference then there's something wrong with you."

"Why do you think that your life your priorities are more important than mine?"

"Why is it so important that you stay here and be the leader of the New Mutants?"

"Because I worked my ass off for the last ten years to be the leader Laura just like you did to get your scholarship."

"That is not the same!" Laura shouted, "The New Mutants do not need you to function."

Sam stood there horrified.

"My God you really are as arrogant as everyone says you are. I can't believe I never saw it before."

"And you are just so insecure that you have to prove yourself to everyone."

"Fine!" he snapped, "Then to hell with this and you."

"You already made that clear the other night," she said pulling on her pants, "Maybe you were right before and this was nothing but a fling. And we were deluding ourselves that this was something deeper."

Sam paused.

"You don't believe that Laura," he said his voice quiet but menacing.

"I don't want to Sam," she said her gaze dropping from his, "It's just that.."

Her voice broke off.

"It's just that what?" Sam pressed walking over to her, "What is it Laura?"

"Nothing," she said looking up at him, "Just forget it."

"No I won't forget it Laura," he said placing his hands on her shoulders, "This is not like you to be so inflexible. Something is bothering you. I want to know what it is."

She opened her mouth to say something. But closed it. She touched his arm before moving away.

"No Sam you don't," she said and left the room.

Sam spent the next few days focusing on his duties, doing his level best not to think about Laura or what had happened between them in the conference room. He wondered why she was being so difficult. What was he not getting? By this time it had gotten around that he and Laura were over. Sam tried to ignore the stares and whispers from fellow X-men, but it was difficult. Now that he was no longer dating Laura, Sam noticed that a few of the X-women began to flirt with him. But Sam just brushed them off. He knew that their interest in him was not sincere, they were just curious. And Sam wasn't about to indulge them. Besides he wasn't interested in anyone else. The fiasco with Christine the cokehead had proved to him that casual flings weren't to his taste anymore (especially when he was on the rebound). Deep down inside he knew that there was only one woman he was interested in. But yet he couldn't bring himself to go after her. Begging and groveling was something that Sam Gutherie refused to do.

Sam was in his room reading a novel by Jack McDevitt (or trying to since thoughts of Laura kept creeping into his head) when Scott called him into his office. Sam showed up ten minutes later.

"You wanted to see me Scott?" he asked sticking his head between the door. Scott was sitting behind his huge notebook computer deep in concentration.

"Hi Sam, Yeah I did," Scott said, "Come on in."

Sam went further inside the room and took a seat in an empty chair.

"I was just looking over the stats from your last mission. You did really great. The New Mutants are really pulling together very well."

"Well it's a great crew," Sam said.

"Hey don't be so modest," Scott said, "You're really doing a great job you're one of the best leaders we have."

"Thanks man," Sam said. He could do with the kind words after what had recently gone through.

"Sam the reason I called you in here is because I want you to step down from the New Mutants for awhile. Mirage will take over in your place."

"What?" Sam asked shocked.

"I want to have you re-assigned for a bit-."

"Did Laura put you up to this?" Sam asked his temperature boiling.

"What?" Scott asked perplexed.

"X-23," Sam said, "Did she ask you to have me re-assigned to Excalibur?"

"Excalibur?" Scott exclaimed, "Why the hell do you think I'd want to re-assign you to Excalibur?"

"Because X-23's going to the UK to study in the fall to do her masters degree and she wants me to join her there. She said that we could continue to as X-men through Excalibur. I told her no. It would be just like her to go behind my back and come to you."

"Why do you think that she would come to me?"

"Because she's your favourite. I see the way that you look at her-."

"Sam!" Scott snapped," You are way out of line! Completely out of line. For the record X-23 did not come to me. I haven't spoken to her in days. And no I don't want to have you assigned to Excalibur. Rogue is putting together a special ops team for awhile. I want you Iceman, Dazzler and Gambit on the team."

"Oh," Sam said slumping further down into his seat, "I'm sorry-."

"Apology accepted," Scott said stonily. There was an icy silence between them for several seconds before Scott said.

"I take it that you two had a fight?"

"No," Sam said, "It's worse than that. She dumped me. And called off our relationship."

"Because you won't move with her to England."

"Yeah."

"Give her some time Sam. She'll snap out of it. In the meantime go see Rogue."

"Okay," Sam said rising to his feet.

Scott waited until Sam had left his office before picking up his phone.

"Hi Rogue," he said, "There's one more person I'd like to put on this team."

Laura stood at her window looking down onto the courtyard below. There was an open letter on her desk inviting her to attend an award dinner for that years Rhodes Scholarship recipients in four weeks time. She had already signed and confirmed her acceptance. All she needed to do now was to have it faxed over. But the only thing that delayed her was the fact that she did not know who she wanted to be her date.

But Laura's mind was not on the dinner. All she could think about was Sam and what had happened that morning. In fact it was all that she could think about. When he had first showed up in the kitchen she had planned on ignoring him. She was still livid from his behaviour at the restaurant. In fact she was so livid that she had spent the next several days avoiding him. But when she saw the jar of pickles explode and shards of glass lodged in his face. Laura's anger towards him vanished and she immediately became overwhelmed with concern for his safety and she rushed to his side.

She had wanted to resist when he had pulled him into her arms. She wanted to say no, she was still mad at him about his refusal to join her overseas. But she felt powerless. It had been weeks since they had last been together. She had missed being in his arms, his touch, his smell, the sound of his voice. She missed being close to him period. She always felt safe and content when she was with him.

Why couldn't Sam see that she …

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened revealing Cessily Kincaide. She was wearing a strapless evening dress her red hair tied up in pony tail.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Ready for what?" Laura responded.

"Don't tell me you forgot about our plans for tonight?" Cessily asked her hands on her hips, "I mean we only discussed it twice today. At breakfast and dinner."

"Oh.." Laura said her cheeks colouring slightly.

"Yeah oh," Cessily said sarcastically.

"Listen Cessily," Laura began, "I'm tired. Why don't you and the rest of the group go on without me."

"No way," Cessily said marching further inside of the room, "Dazzler pulled some serious strings to get these tickets. You can at least make a show."

"Cessily really I…" Laura began.

"No excuses Laura this whole thing is to celebrate you, so you could at least make a showing," Cessily said, "You're coming to this thing…even if I have to drag you myself."

The problem started almost at once. Four of the X-women, Cessily Kinkaide, Nori Ashido, Alani Ryan and Megan Gwyn had taken Laura to see her favourite rock group, Porcelain and The Tramps at the Great Music Hall in San Francisco. However half an hour into their arrival it was announced that the band had been delayed in Seattle and the R&B girl group, Girlicious would be replacing them. The concert had not been fun. Laura hated 'bubble gum pop' and the gyrating girls on stage disgusted her.

Laura's already foul mood from her break up with Sam became even fouler. Had it not been for her position as a leader, and the fact that this whole event was to celebrate her. She would have left.

Then the group made their way to 'Hush Hush', one of the cities most happening clubs. Laura was not much of a club person. Sure she went out to socialize but that was the extent of it. She was not generally fond of loud noise, and she did not like the fact she had not been able to see her favourite group. And this outing to celebrate her admission to Oxford was missing one very important person.

"Ladies what can I get you?" the server asked coming up to them.

"A stinger," said Cessily.

"Bloodhound," said Nori

"Bijou," said Megan.

"I'll have a Vesper," said Alani.

Cessily looked at her in disgust, "You watch too many Bond films."

"I just love the drink!" Alani said with a shrug.

"Okay," he said writing it down, he turned to Laura, "And you miss what will you be having."

"A bottle of vodka," Laura said, "Preferably Absolute."

"A glass of vodka it is," he said beginning to write on his pad.

"No," Laura said abruptly, "I said a bottle of Vodka."

"Miss we don't serve bottles," he began.

Laura reached into the back pocket of her jeans and threw down two hundred dollar bills on the table. Alani's eyes bulged.

"You do now," she said.

"I'll see what I can do," he replied reaching down and picking up the two bills.

"Are you planning on polishing it off all by yourself?" Alani asked.

"Who knows?" Laura shrugged, "The night is still young."

"You know it's really great that we can do this," Megan bubbled, she had just turned 18 two weeks ago and was pleased with her ability to legally go out and have a drink.

"You're only allowed two drinks Megan," Cessily said, "That's what I promised Mr. Summers. So make it count."

"I will!" she squealed.

The moment that the server had returned to the table with their drinks…and Laura's bottle of vodka. Laura began to attack it with great relish.

"Laura," Nori asked, "Don't you think that you should take it easy with the vodka?"

"I am fine," Laura said swallowing another shot.

"Are you sure about that?" Alani asked, "I mean we've only been here half an hour and the bottle is almost half gone."

"Is this what you call drowning your sorrows?" Cessily asked regarding her carefully.

"What?" Laura asked.

"Are you drinking to get over your break up with Sam?" Cessily asked.

"How do you know?" Laura asked hesitantly.

"Everyone knows," Megan said, "Jean Paul told me. And Guido told him."

"Besides," Cessily said, "We all figured that something was up. You two used to be joined together at the hip. But I haven't seen you together all week."

"And the nights are more quiet," Megan grinned.

The other women looked at her shocked.

"What happened Laura?" Nori asked changing the subject.

Laura poured herself another shot of vodka and swallowed before answering.

"I...we broke up," Laura said.

"Yeah well we get that," Megan said rolling her eyes, "But why?"

"Sam…wanted his freedom," Laura said. Realizing that wasn't exactly true she added, "Besides I am going away in the fall. We won't be able to be together. So there is no point in continuing on as is."

"Oh?" Alani asked surprised, "And you're both okay with that?"

"Better now than later," Laura said with a Gallic shrug, "I want to focus on my degree."

"Well I'm sorry to hear about your break up," Cessily said, "I really thought that you two made a great couple. I really thought that he was better suited to you than Julian."

"Say Laura…" Nori began, "You know I've always liked Cannonball. I mean he's so cute and so polite and that body! You wouldn't mind if I went for it?"

"Not at all," Laura said, "He doesn't belong to me. Laura paused for a moment and added. "But he snores."

"If he was in my bed I'd never let him sleep!" Megan giggled.

The girls gave her a look.

"Megan you really need to calm down," Nori said.

Even as she said that Laura realized how hollow it sounded, especially when she remembered how just that morning she had been so desperate to feel his touch that she had allowed him to make love to her inside a conference room. Something she had never allowed to happen in the past. It still made her feel sick.

Eventually the topic of conversation was changed when a group of young men got up to ask them to dance. Laura said no, and no one pressed the point at seeing the sullen expression on her face. Laura was left at the table all alone with her Vodka bottle.

Soon a slightly built young man wearing a t-shirt which displayed his burgeoning pot belly sat down beside her. Laura could tell that he was drunk.

"Hey-hi there. My name is Mario, I attend SFSU," he said.

"Good for you," Laura said pouring herself another shot.

"You know I saw you when you came in with your friends," he said leaning in towards her," And I must have say you have the nicest booty I have seen of any woman in here all evening."

Laura paused from the taking a swallow of her drink. She looked at him.

"Pardon me?"

"Your trunk….you know your ass…-."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than did Laura punch him in the face.

"Oh fuck!" he swore grabbing his nose, "You crazy bitch!"

"Bitch is not a nice way to address a woman," Laura said.

"Well it fits you—."

She hit him again. He doubled over in pain.

"I want an apology," Laura demanded.

"Fuck you," he whimpered through his hand. Laura stood up and grabbed him by his hair and slammed his head down on the table again.

"I didn't hear you," Laura sneered. Laura grabbed him by his shoulders, he was only about 25lbs heavier than her and she threw him over to a nearby table.

"Laura!" Nori cried coming over to them.

"Just a moment Noriko!" she said, "I am about to teach this man some manners!"

Laura grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and his belt and threw him down onto the dance floor.

When one of the bars patrons proceeded to try and stop her, she elbowed him straight in the face. Mario tried to run and scramble to get away from her but Laura was after him.

"Running away are you?" she asked standing over him. She reached up and kicked him in the rear end.

Suddenly Laura felt two hands on her shoulders, before she could shrug them off…there came a flash of blinding light and the air around her shimmered. When it cleared she noticed that she was standing outside in the parking lot and Megan was standing beside her. A crowd of startled onlookers gaped at them. Megan had teleported them both out of the room.

"What did you do that for?" Laura asked hotly.

"Cessily asked me to," Megan said with a shrug.

The club doors opened and Cessily, Nori and Alani came charging out. A look of fright on their faces. Laura moved to go back inside the club.

"Come on Laura," Nori said grabbing at her shirt, "We had better leave before we get arrested."

"I am not finished teaching that man a lesson," Laura said fiercely heading back towards the club.

"Uh yeah you are," Cessily said grabbing her by the arm and dragging her towards her jeep.

"So Laura…what's going on?" Alani asked after the jeep started up.

"That was so awesome!" Megan said all excited, "That was pure girl power!"

"Shut up Megan," Cessily snapped, "What the hell got in to you Laura?"

"He was rude," Laura said shortly.

"Like that's the first time that's happened?" Cessily asked incredulously, "You're the one who's always telling us to ignore creeps like that."

"I wasn't in the mood to ignore him," Laura said gallantly, She took Megan's sweater and wrapped it around her shoulders.

As she sat in the back of Nori's jeep she could not help but think that Sam Guthrie would never have called her that word, or would never have allowed anyone else to call her that word. She had loved the way that he had protected her. Sam ….

_She thought back to two weeks after they had become a couple. She had risen one morning to join the 'Alpha' X-team to go and take care of a threat in the Maldeeves. It was 5 am and she was in the hanger conferring with her team about the long flight and what needed to be done. They were about to mount the blackbird when Mercury stopped her._

_"Laura," she began._

"_What is it Cessily?" she asked._

_Mercury pointed over X-23's shoulder and X-23 saw Sam Gutherie walking towards them, He was wearing a crumpled white t shirt and red sweat pants. She noticed that he was barefoot. _

"_Hey Sweetheart," he called to her._

"_Um.." Mercury began amused, "I'll go wait on the plane."_

_X-23 nodded and turned to face Sam._

"_What is it Sam?" she asked slightly annoyed that her boyfriend was coming down to the hanger dressed like this._

"_You weren't about to leave without kissing me goodbye?"_

"_You were fast asleep."_

"_You could have woken me up," he said leaning over her, then dropping his voice he said, "The only way you know how."_

_X-23 blushed slightly._

"_Sam I don't have time for this," she scolded regaining her composure._

"_Yeah you do. Come here."_

"_My team-."_

"_Your teammates can wait. This will only take a second. I want a goodbye kiss."_

"_Sam I don't-."_

"_I'm not letting you go without a kiss," he said reaching for her, "Don't make me fight you Laura."_

_X-23 groaned in frustration._

"_Okay," she said reaching out to kiss him, she meant for it to be a brief kiss but Sam made it deeper. She almost got caught up in it._

"_Sam," she said pulling away from him._

"_Be safe okay," he said hugging her close, "Come back to me alive."_

"_I will," she replied hugging him back._

"_I love you Laura," he said._

"_I love you Sam."_

__

Laura awoke late the next morning. Not wanting a lecture from the senior members she dressed, grabbed her knap sack and snuck down to the garage using the back entrance. She jumped on her motorcycle and took off. She spent most of the day cruising up and down the California coastline only stopping to refuel and eat.The trip ended late in the evening when she drove to the spot where her Aunts house used to be in San Francisco.She sat across the street from the house for about an hour just staring at the building. She remembered her time here with Debbie and Megan as being some of the happiest times of her life. She had not thought that she would be that happy and peaceful again. In the past when she had been upset, she had come here to settle her nerves. But she found that since she had begun to date Sam Guthrie, the trips to her Aunts house became less frequent. For one when she was upset she could always go to Sam and he would either comfort her or talk her down. Second, unlike Julian, Sam was more stable. Yes Sam could be bull headed at times, his Southern male pride affected almost everything that he did, whether it be his instance on opening the door for her wherever they went, paying for meals or insisting on standing guard outside the women's shelter where she volunteered and when she worked there at nights. She and Sam had rarely fought and if they did it was patched up quickly. Until of course the other day at the restaurant, Laura tried not to, but she couldn't help but replay the events over and over in her head. She wondered what her culpability was in their break up. Why had she been so insistent about him being with her?

Yes she knew that there was validity to what she said about the lack of longevity concerning long distance relationships. But she had been alone for such a long period of time before, why was she behaving as if she needed Sam Guthrie at her side? She knew that if she had still been dating Julian, she would have looked forward to the separation and respite from him and his tiresome behaviour. So what made Sam Guthrie so different?

It was near 9:30 pm when Laura feeling fully chastened, returned to the complex. She ran into Josh Foley who had told her that Scott Summers had been looking for her earlier, but he had gone out of dinner and drinks with the senior team members. Laura was happy because she could do without the finger waging lecture in the state she was feeling in. Logan was bad enough.

She went down into the kitchen to get something to eat. She thought that the kitchen would be empty. But she found Rogue sitting at the table with a mug of coffee talking to Gambit. She thought that the couple would ignore her but no such luck.

"Hey there!" Rogue greeted her.

"Hello Rogue," Laura replied.

"Bonjour chere," Remy said. Laura could feel Gambit's eyes sliding over her body in an appreciative way, which at this point she could do without.

"Hello Remy," Laura replied.

"Heard that you trashed a bar last night good and proper," Rogue said, "What was that all about?"

"Some man was fresh me," Laura said with a dismissive shrug, "I put him in his place."

"I know how that feels," Rogue said, "Still feeling feisty and like kicking tail?"

"Sorry?" Laura asked.

"We're going to face the Mutant Fraternity tomorrow. They are supposed to be some new mutant hell raising group. Sure could use your help on this one. If you don't mind."

"Not at all," Laura said her spirits perking up.

"Well you go rest up then," Rogue said, "We need you fit as a fiddle for tomorrow. We leave at 6 in the morning."

The next morning Rogue followed by Gambit walked inside the hanger..where the X-Men kept 3 of their Blackbirds. She found Dazzler, Iceman and Cannonball waiting there for her.

"God Rogue," Iceman said, "You'd be late for your own funeral!"

"Can we just go now?" Dazzler asked, "I have a song to record tonight."

"Not just yet," Rogue said tugging on her gloves, "There's just one more person."

"Who? Iceman asked.

"Ah here she is," Gambit said a wide grin spreading across his face, "Now if only if was ten years younger….an of course single!"

Cannonball turned and froze when he saw X-23 coming towards them wearing her black and grey X-Force costume with goggles.

"What is she doing here?" he asked.

"She's on loan to us. We need a bruiser and she's standing in for Logan."

"What about Gambit?" Cannonball said.

"Gambit's good. But he ain't X-23," Rogue patted Cannonball on his broad shoulder, "Come on give her a warm welcome."

"Hello Laura!"

"Hello," X-23 said to all of them she avoided looking at Cannonball.

"Glad that you could join us," Rogue said, "So listen up everybody. We are going to Nevada."

They all pilled onto the Blackbird. Cannonball sat near the back. . He tried not stare at X-23 who sat near the front. He felt a huge pang of jealousy when he saw Gambit take a seat beside her and start flirting with her. They were speaking in French. Cannonball wondered what Gambit had said to her when he heard her laugh. Cannonball wondered if X-23 had been put on the team before or after his discussion with Cyclops.

The bird flew into Nevada and landed about a mile out side of the mining town of Battle Nevada.

"So what's the plan?" Iceman asked.

"We're here to stop a terrorist attack", Rogue explained, "Word is that the Mutant Brotherhood has reformed. Or at least a branch of the Mutant Brotherhood. It's called the Mutant Fraternity. Word is that they are aiming to make some serious problems for the human population. Apart from the obvious, this could bring on some serious blow back for mutants. Cyclops wants us to stop them before they get too far. The Fraternity is staying about a mile outside of Battle Mountain."

"The Mutant Fraternity?" Dazzler said, "Never heard of them before."

"They're new," Rogue said, "Or so it's thought. They might be an off shoot of the Mutant Brotherhood. Started up by one of the old members. But chances are they are headed by Magneto."

"The old man still won't give it up," Iceman said.

"It's his raison d'etre," Gambit chortled.

"Are we going to kill them?" X-23 asked.

"Not unless necessary," Rogue said, "More like foiling their plans. We catch them and then hand them over to S.H.E.I.L.D."

"Do you know what their plans are?" Iceman said.

"Not exactly," Rogue said, "But it's supposed to involve some kind of payback for Proposition X."

"So why don't we let them?" Dazzler groused, "They tried to stop us from reproducing!"

"Because we don't do that Daz," Rogue said pointedly.

"Do you know what they have in mind?" Cannonball asked.

"No," Rogue said, "But we do know that they have Las Vegas in mind."

"The city of sin itself," Iceman said, "Can you imagine the irony?"

The jet touched down at the side of the mountain. There was a large 10 foot steel door denoting the entrance. The X-Men disembarked and made their way inside. Already there was the pungent smells of chemicals wafting throughout the compound.

"What the hell is that smell?" Iceman asked.

"Haven't a clue," Rogue said, "But it must be some toxic chemical."

"Smells awful," Gambit said. He turned to X-23, "Fortunately I have your perfume to offset the smell."

To Cannonball's surprise X-23 smiled. It filled him with jealousy.

"Okay guys," Rogue said, "Here's the plan. We're going to split up. Dazzler and Iceman you go right. Gambit and X-23 go right and Cannonball and I will go upstairs."

"This will give us a better opportunity to work together," Gambit said smiling at X-23.

"Maybe X-23 should go with me," Cannonball interjected, "That way we're all paired up with someone who can fly."

"That's a good idea," Rogue said nodding, "Okay guys. We meet up here in a few hours time

Cannonball turned to face X-23. Both of them were wearing goggles so that they could read the expression in each others eyes.

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

X-23 nodded.

"We'll go upstairs," Cannonball said.

"Fine," Rogue said, "We'll rendezvous back here in an hours go. Keep your coms open everyone. I want to know everything that is going on."

Cannonball stepped back and allowed X-23 to go out in front of him. Once they left the main area. They moved out into a narrow industrial hallway. Cannonball did his best to focus on the mission. If X-23 was discomfited by pairing up with him she showed no sign of it. Cannonball had not meant to jump in and asked to be paired with X-23. But the thought of X-23 being alone with Gambit made him uneasy. Although he was sure that the Cajun would keep his hands to himself. The thought of him drooling over X-23 and making lewd remarks did not put Cannonball at ease. But still anything could happen. The Cajun was famous for his ability to seduce even the most frigid woman. There was a rumour that he had bedded most of the women at Greymalkin. Cannonball had even overheard X'ian make favourable remarks about Gambit's prowess to Amara one day. And X'ian was supposed to be a lesbian. Cannonball did not plan for X-23 to be on Gambit's list of conquests. He still considered X-23 to be his….

"What is it?" he asked.

"The stairs," she said they began to climb. They made their way up the stairs and down a small narrow passage, at the end of it was a large steel door. X-23 pulled on the handle but found that it was locked. She made a move to unsheathe her claws. But Cannonball stopped her.

"Allow me," he said when she gave him a skeptical look he added, "You know me… a southern thing."

Cannonball unleashed a mild blast and the lock fell off. He pulled the handle and went in first, X-23 followed. They fond themselves along the gallery of a large hanger that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Stretching up to 50 feet below was rocky ground from where mining had taken place, there was still large machinery left below. The gallery stretched out along the entire perimeter of it. Off to the left there was the sound of large clanking.

"This way," Cannonball said gesturing to their left from whence the clanking sound came. X-23 nodded.

"Okay," she said.

X-23 stopped so suddenly that he almost bumped into her. He could smell her perfume. He recognized it as being Play by Givenchy. He could never forget it. It was the scent she wore when they first made love. It was a delicate floral scent, which he would forever associate it with her for as long as he lived.

"I did not need you to run to my defense with Gambit, Sam," X-23 said after they continued awhile "I have worked with him before."

"You were underage back then," Cannonball said, "And he's looking at you now, as more than a little kid who needs help."

"And how do you think he is looking at me now?"

"As a notch on his bed post and a potential conquest," Cannonball said, "Remy's a nice guy…But when it comes to women he just can't help himself. Especially…"

"When it comes to frigid women?" she suggested.

Cannonball stopped and wondered how she had come up with that.

"I was going to say hard to get," Cannonball said slowly.

"Well you needn't worry," she replied, "I am immune to his charms."

"I've heard that before," Cannonball scoffed.

X-23 smiled and turned to face him.

"When we first met, did you think I was hard to get?"

"Unattainable more like it."

"Because I was with Julian at the time?"

"No. I think that I would have held the same opinion even if you were single. You always seemed so cold and aloof. I don't think that I would have approached you."

"So what made you change your mind?"

"I got to know you. But you made the first move remember?"

"Yes I did."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to be with you," she said firmly, "In every respect."

Cannonball paused for a moment.

"Do you want to be with me now?" he asked huskily.

Suddenly there was the sound of screaming.

"What's that?" Cannonball asked stopping.

"I do not know," X-23 said, "It sounds like the scream of a woman"

There was another cry again.

"Sounds like someone's in trouble," Cannonball said.

"We should split up," she said turning to face him, "You investigate the screaming."

"I think we should really stay together," Cannonball said.

"There is something happening at the other end of the hall," she said, "We stand a better chance of catching them if we separate. And you are faster with your powers."

There was the sound of another scream again.

"Okay then," Cannonball said, "I'll go check it out. I'll be with you as soon as I can."

X-23 nodded. Cannonball paused and added

"Be careful Laura," he said touching her forearm.

"I will," she replied.

Cannonball hesitated as if he did not want to leave her. But nodded and blasted off.

X-23 continued down the hall towards the sound of the clanking, which began to grow louder as she approached. She found herself in a large room, it was filled with large see through vats which bubbled with green liquid inside. Iron pistons moved pressed down into the mouth of the vats. Bringing out a clanging noise. X-23 made a movement towards the vats, when she suddenly felt intense heat on the back of her neck.

And then all became black.

Cannonball zoomed off with a blast of his powers towards the screaming. The sound of the screaming came from another end of the cavern. When he arrived he found four members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants surrounding a woman who was spread eagle on a table.

Cannonball recognized them as being Barnell Bohusk, Ernst and Oswald.

"X-Man!" Bohusk screamed frightened.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cannonball demanded as he touched down. He noticed that tubes were feeding into various parts of the woman

"We're giving her a taste of her own medicine," Oswald sneered, "For Proposition X. We are going to release a toxin into the city of Las Vegas Water Las Vegas. It's not only going to make all humans infertile. It will make the men impotent."

"She's our guinea pig," Ernst said, "We're just about to see if the latest batch of medicine works."

"Step away from the lady you guys right now," Cannonball said menacingly he raised his hands up to fire an energy blast.

"You should be here with us Cannonball," Ernst said, "Fighting for mutant rights."

"You all are sick bastards," Cannonball said, "People like you are the reason why no one respects mutants."

"And you are a traitor to your own kind, Oswald sneered, "But I guess you can afford to be with your pretty boy looks."

"You think that they respect you?" Bohusk said stepping up to Cannonball and waving a finger in Cannonball face, "They don't they hate you. They hate all of us. And they aim to put us in camps. You'll see."

"What are you going to do when then they finally decide to sterilize us or worse," Oswald said, "All the screwing of that pretty girlfriend of yours won't give you any offspring," Bohusk said.

What? Cannonball thought. But before he could think to ask, the woman groaned in pain.

"I am telling you freaks one more time to step away from that woman," Cannonball said.

"Or else what?" Ernst sneered.

"I'm going to stop you,"

"Fat chance of that!" Oswald screamed at him.

Oswald threw something on the ground and there was a loud explosion and dust flew everywhere. Cannonball was knocked back against the wall. He sat there dazed for a few moments then quickly rose to his feet. When he rushed over to the woman. The members of the Mutant Fraternity were gone. But the woman was still there. Her head was hanging down on her chest. Cannonball reached down and felt her wrist. There was no pulse.

"Cannonball come in!" came Rogues' voice over the com, "Cannonball come in!"

"Cannonball here," Cannonball said touching his com.

"What the hell was that noise?" Rogue demanded.

"I caught three members of the Mutant Fraternity doing a science experiment on a woman," Cannonball replied.

"And?"

"Before I could stop them. They released a bomb. It blew up the room," Cannonball said barely containing his anger, "Dust and dirt flew everywhere. By time the smoke cleared they were gone.."

"Where are they now?"

"I don't know. They escaped."

"And the woman?"

"She's dead."

"Oh Okay," Rogue said, "Come back to the main entrance. I already contacted S.H.E.I.L.D. They're on their way."

"Roger that," Cannonball said.

It was not until he had got off the com that he thought about X-23. But he had guessed that Rogue had instructed her to come back to the entrance.

Cannonball flew in and landed before the group. A quick scan told him that someone was missing.

"Where's X-23?" he asked.

"Dunno," Gambit said, "I thought that she was with you."

"We have to go find her," Cannonball said "Search the building guys."

And with that he flew off.

"You know I thought that I was the leader of this operation," Rogue said.

"The boys in love," Gambit said.

When X-23 came to she found herself flat on a table spread eagle and pinned down by iron straps which she tried to dislodge to no avail.

"Oh so you're awake?"

X-23 turned in the direction of the voice, but she already knew who it belonged to. Julian Keller.

Hellion turned up, he was dressed completely differently. He was wearing a red tunic which flowed all the way down his legs his arms were bare, except for his for his for-arms where he wore gothic leather arm bands.

"Magneto accepted me. He recognized my potential and made me head of The Mutant Fraternity."

"You're a leader Hellion?" she scoffed.

"Yeah I am," he sneered, "I am one of his chief lieutenants. I am going to help Magneto run the world. When we take over as our rightful place as leaders of this planet."

"You are even more delusional than I thought," X-23 said coldly.

"No just more ambitious," Hellion replied, "Walking around the table, "I wasted my time with you losers. Cyclops has no imagination, all he wants to do is curry favour with the human population. They should be our slaves, not the other way around."

"And how exactly do you plan on making the human population the slaves of mutants?" X-23 asked.

"Ju-jitsu."

"What?"

"Remember Proposition X and how they were going to ban us from reproducing?"

"Yes."

"Well we're going to institute a ban of our own."

"How?"

"By unleashing a chemical into the water supply. It will not only make the population sterile. But it will make all the men impotent. We're going to start off in the city of sin itself. Las Vegas."

"We won't let you," X-23 said, "We will stop you."

"Too late," Hellion said triumphantly, "Everything's already set in place. We knew you idiots were coming. You're so pathetic and predictable."

"You have a spy at Graymalkin?" she asked.

"Naw we were spying on you all the time," Hellion said marching around the slab, "Not very hard to do. When you have shape shifting members who can easily blend in. Man I can't believe how kinky some members of the X-Men are. Do you know that Ms. Frost likes to use a riding crop on Summers? Oh man what a sight!"

X-23 was shocked by this news but not really surprised. Given Julian's immaturity, it would not be beyond the pale for him to tape the more scandalous aspects of the X-Men as opposed to any of their tactics. Well it would make this Fraternity easier to defeat. She suspected that Magneto would discard him soon.

"You're sick Hellion," X-23 said coldly, "What I ever saw in you I will never know."

"Well that makes two of us," Hellion snapped spittle flying in X-23's face, "You're nothing but a low grade skank. I should know that with your past you wouldn't be able to be faithful."

"No Julian," X-23 said, "I tolerated you as long as I could. Mostly because it was expected of me. I thought that everyone wanted me to be your girlfriend. So I stayed with you. It never occurred to me that I deserved better."

"Better!" Hellion screamed, "You mean that hick Sam Guthrie?"

"That's right Julian," she said, "Sam Guthrie is twice the man you are or will ever be."

"So you think that Gutherie is so hot huh?" Hellion sneered, "You think he's such a white knight in shinning armour? Well babe you are in for one big fucking wake up call!"

"Whatever Cannonball's shortcomings are," X-23 said, "They far outweigh yours. You're pathetic Julian. Your old girlfriend Sofia must have had a short experience with men so not to see how bad you really are."

"I'm pathetic huh?" he huffed, "Well then let me just show you something. He climbed up on to the table where she was and yanked down her tights and underwear. Then struggled to pull up his tunic and pull down his pants.

"Yeah bitch, I bet you miss all of this," he panted.

X-23 lay there pinned to the table. She forced her body to go limp.

She knew better than to struggle. They liked it when your struggled or when you pleaded or when you cried. If she did neither of that then it would be over quickly. Not like the first time…when she was only 13 years old and Zebra Daddy had sold her to that man. He had not only wanted her to be cut him. He had wanted more. Until this day she still felt sick to her stocmach whenever she smelled Johnny Walker Blue Label Scotch.

Suddenly there was an explosion of sand and rock on the far side of the chamber and there was Cannonball. X-23's heart jumped with joy. Cannonball landed on the floor just two feet away from the table. The moment he spotted Hellion he let loose with a severe blast from his powers he knocked Keller down off the table. Keller lay on the ground his pants around his legs.

"You son of a bitch," Cannonball snarled at him. He fired another energy blast right at Kellers body. Before he landed on the ground beside him. He grabbed Keller by the shirt front and began to brutally punch him in his face.

Suddenly he felt a white hot flame against his back and he went crashing into the far wall and fell.

Cannonball rolled onto his back and groaned. He found Pyro, one of the Brotherhoods members standing there. A ball of flame emanating from his open hand.

"Gee Keller I knew that you were over rated," Pyro said with disgust.

"I almost had him," Hellion said staggering to his feet his face bloody.

"Yeah? You and what army? You would have been toast if I hadn't walked in."

Cannonball struggled to rise.

"I'm going to kill this fucker," Hellion said striding up to Cannonball, "And his little girlfriend."

"No you're not," Pyro said stopping him, "There's no time. Magneto said that we have to regroup. Right now."

"Why?" Hellion exploded.

"Because the X-Men contacted S.H.E.I.L.D," Pyro said, "And they had all the water facilities in Nevada turned off. The plan is fucked. We need to get back to base right now."

"This is not over," Hellion said shaking his fist at X-23, "I'll get you back you'll see!"

Cannonball rose to his feet and he staggered over to X-23's side. He blasted the chains from her wrists and ankles.

"Are you okay?" he asked hoarsely.

All X-23 wanted to do was fall into his arms and hold him tight. She was grateful that Cannonball had arrived just in time, she had thought that after the last few days he would have written her off. She moved down from off the table and stepped away from him.

"Yes," she said nodding she pulled away and

"Are you sure?" Cannonball asked.

"Yes," she said again as she began to pull up her tights. Cannonball watched her his face began to contort with rage.

"What the hell is this?" Cannonball asked angrily, "Did that bastard touch you? Because if he did I will hunt him down and kill him-."

"No, No Sam," she said, "I am fine. You arrived just in time."

"I told you we shouldn't have split up," he replied.

"What happened on your end?" she asked.

"I confronted a bunch of the Mutant Fraternity," he said still staring at her hard, "But they got away. But I don't care about that right now. I care about you."

Although the expression on X-23's face was one of brave stoicism, the colour in her face was ash grey.

"I am fine Sam," X-23 said, but her voice cracked.

"You're trembling," he said taking her in his arms, "Come here it's okay. I'm here now. It's okay."

Despite herself X-23 held him close.

"I…" she began.

"Shh it's okay," he said softly, "I'm here. Gosh I would never let anything happen to you."

"I know," she said her voice trembling. Cannonball paused and kissed her. Gently at first, but then harder. Soon they were clawing at each others clothes.

Both of them knew that it was a highly inappropriate time. But they did not care. They made love on the table.

"Oh Laura!" he moaned against her neck. "Oh," she said her breathing laboured. "Oh Sam."

He kissed her neck

"Why did we ever break up?" he said into her ear.

"I-," she began but was interrupted.

"Ya'll in here!" they heard Rogue call. The couple parted and quickly began to dress.

Sam quickly pulled his uniform back on and flew to the cave to head off Rogue.

X-23 was just fastening on her belt as Rogue came flying in.

"Didn't you hear me calling?" Rogue asked.

"Hey there Rogue," he said smiling.

"Did you find X-23?"

"Yeah."

"So where the hell is she?" Rogue asked exasperated.

"Right here," X-23 responded walking up to them.

Rogue took in both Cannonballs and X-23's disheveled state. And realized what had taken place.

"I can't believe this," she said shaking her head with disbelief, "I thought you two split up?"

"We did," Cannonball said slowly he looked at X-23 who refused to look at him, "I..it just happened."

"Next time you save it for at home. We're in a rush. Where's the rest of the Fraternity?"

"Hellion and Pyro left five minutes before you came in," X-23 said.

"S.H.E.I.L.D is here," Rogue said, "Fury will want to talk to you."

X-23 and Cannonball and Rogue met Fury and S.H.E.I.L.D and the rest of the X-Men at the main entrance. It turned out that five members of the Mutant Fraternity had been caught. But Hellion was not among them. It was a good thing Cannonball thought because he really would have killed him right there.

"Looks like we saved the day huh colonel," Rogue said with her most winning smile.

"Yeah guess so," Fury grumbled chewing on his cigar, "We bagged some of these jokers. But not all of them. But yeah you did good. I'm going to have to speak with Xavier about making you an extension of-."

"Hey Chief," a young man wearing the name badge of Ryan said coming up to them. He was carrying a box with laser discs his hands, "Found this disc in one of the rooms. Looks pretty important."

"Well why don't you fire one them up and we'll see what it contains," Fury said.

Ryan slipped the disc into a nearby lap top computer. The X-Men gathered around to see what was on it.

Although the camera work was shaky, what was going on was clear. The video was of a different montage of various X-Men in different sexual scenarios. Some of the pairings surprised Cannonball. But he was not as startled by that as he was at seeing a shot of himself having sex with Christine inside of her car. Cannonball felt the blood drain from his face and he slowly looked over at X-23. Despite the glasses that covered her face, Cannonball could see the shock on her face…change to anger. He had not wanted her to find out. Not like this.

Iceman let out a whoop of joy.

"Woo-wiee look at that!" Iceman chortled.

"Shut up Bobby," Rogue snapped at him. She reached down and stopped the video.

"You people running a cathouse over at Greymalkin?" Fury asked cynically.

"Why don't you give me the disc," Rogue said clearly embarrassed, "I don't think it'll help in your investigation."

"Fine," Fury growled ejecting the disc from the computer and handing it to Rogue, "No good to me. But now I know what you kids are doing with your days. If I see something else that's useful I'll pass it on to you."

With that the team boarded the Blackbird. Dazzler and Remy at the helm.

Cannonball took a seat across from X-23 he wanted to talk to her about the video, but couldn't with everyone sitting so nearby. The whole time Bobby chortled about the various pairings on the video. He made a comment about the amount of money he could make from blackmailing various committed team members. Rogue told him that he would do no such thing, and after she discussed the situation with Cyclops the video would be destroyed. The BlackBird touched down about half an hour later at Greymalkin.

"Man it's nice to be home," Iceman said as the plane taxied into the hanger. He turned to Cannonball, "Hey man you want to go into town tonight? We can see if that chick with the big tits is at AJ's."

"Shut up Drake," Cannonball said with a nervous glance towards X-23 who was staring out the window. He wondered if she had heard Iceman, but how could she not when Iceman's voice carried like a speaker phone.

"I mean with hooters like that," Iceman continued oblivious to Cannonballs' tone of voice, "I don't blame you for wanting to do her-."

X-23 bolted out of her seat and headed towards the doors which had just started to open.

"You are so dead!" Cannonball shouted at him.

"Christ Bobby you haven't learned any tact after all these years have you?" Rogue asked exasperated.

"What did I say?" Iceman asked bewildered. Cannonball was already out of his seat in hot pursuit of X-23.

Cannonball went charging after X-23. Through the hanger and down the hall. He didn't slow his pace, even when he saw her enter the women's change room.

"Laura!" he called.

Inside he found Loa, Armor and Pixie in the process of changing. They jumped at seeing him and grabbed their clothes to shield their bodies.

"Hey!" Pixie called out to him angrily, "What are you doing in here?"

"Sorry," Cannonball said covering his eyes, "I need to speak to X-23."

"Go wait outside then!" Loa screamed at him.

"What is it Sam?" X-23 asked emerging at the doors to the washroom.

"Laura. I need to speak with you," Cannonball said firmly turning to face Laura, "And I'm not leaving here until I do."

"Girls do you mind giving us some privacy?" X-23 asked turning to Loa, Dust and Pixie.

"He's the one who should be leaving," Pixie said huffily.

"I know," X-23 said patiently removing her mask, "This won't take long."

They wanted to press the point further but the expression on X-23's face said that she was not be crossed. Armour, Pixie and Loa went stalking out of the change room.

"What do you want Sam?" X-23 asked coldly.

"We need to talk," he said stepping up to her.

"About what?"

"That video. I'm sorry about what you saw Laura. I really am. I didn't mean for you to find out and not like that. But it's important for you to know that we weren't together when that happened."

"Did it take place before or after we broke up?" X-23 asked curiously.

Cannonball paused for a beat.

"Afterwards."

"We only broke up ten days ago. You certainly moved on very quickly," she said dryly.

"What did you expect me to do Laura sit around and feel sorry for myself because you don't want me anymore?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked coldly, "I never said I did not want you. You're the one who doesn't want to be with me!"

"That is not true Laura and you damn well know it. Just because I won't move to England you doesn't mean that I don't want us to be a couple. What we just did in Nevada and in the conference room a few days ago, should be proof enough that I want to be with you. Infact…the day that video was shot….was the same day that you and I were together."

"It was just sex."

"You and I have never just had sex Laura," he said firmly, "It's always been more than just that. So don't try and turn it into something else now."

He stepped closer to her.

"You know that Laura. I just can't help but feel that there's something else going on here that you aren't telling me."

"I didn't think that I had to," she said stonily.

"Being condescending won't help here."

"I am not being condescending Sam. I am just stating the truth."

"No you're not you're just being…"

"An Ice Princess?" she taunted. Cannonball could avoid the bait but decided that he wouldn't.

"Yeah Laura. That's right an Ice Princess. I can see how you got that nickname. It's what you do whenever you're feeling cornered. Shut down and become cold and aloof."

"That is not true Sam!"

"Then tell me what is really going on here….," Cannonball said.

X-23 looked at him for a moment and opened her mouth to say something.

Just then the door opened. It was Pixie and Armour.

"Cannonball," Pixie said, "We need to finish getting dressed. There's a disaster in Wyoming and we have to help."

"Just a minute-," Cannonball snapped at her. He hated that they had been interrupted.

"-And Cyclops is looking for you," Armour said.

"Cyclops can wait," Cannonball snapped, "I'm not finished here."

"Yes we are," X-23 said moving away from him and towards the door.

"No we aren't-Laura!" Cannonball said following after her. The moment he had stepped outside he slammed into Cyclops.

"Sorry," Cannonball muttered stepping back, but his attention was fixed on X-23 who was going down the hall.

"Whoa!" Cyclops said, "Something going on I should know about?"

"Nothing," Cannonball said.

"Doesn't look like nothing," Cyclops said, "You just were inside the ladies change room."

"I had to talk with X-23 about our last mission," Cannonball paused for a beat, "We're finished."

"Are you sure?" Cyclops asked his eyes narrowing.

"Yeah Scott I'm sure," Cannonball said not wanting to involve Cyclops in his romantic affairs, "What's up?"

Cyclops glanced at the ladies change room. But decided that there wasn't time to get into it any further

" There's an emergency," Cyclops said, "Legion is on the rampage again. I want the New Mutants to handle it. Are you up to it?"

"Yeah sure Cyclops," Cannonball said firmly, "I'm up to it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Southern Comfort Part IV**

Over the next few days. Life returned back to normal…as much as it could for her as an X-Men. She returned to her job as a camp counselor and participated in duties as an X-Men. Yet Sam Guthrie was not far from her thoughts. The word was that the New Mutants had been sent on a special assignment. By all rights Laura should be happy. The last thing she wanted to do was get into it with him again about their break up. But the other part of her was not at all happy, Even despite everything that had happened she genuinely missed being with him. There had been almost nothing she could not talk to him about. Apart from science fiction, he was actually widely read and could hold his own with her on a variety of subjects. Something she never had with Julian Keller. But more to the point he seemed to understand and get her. Or at least so she had thought…until about two weeks ago.In the meantime Laura allowed herself to be distracted and consumed with her duties as leader of the Alpha Team and her duties as a camp counselor. She was also getting ready for her trip to the UK in a few days. She asked Josh Foley to be her date.

Cyclops, being very interested in currying favour with the general public often sent the Alpha and Beta teams out on humanitarian errands. He even had them do some occasional vigilante work from time to time in San Francisco, Oakland and even Los Angeles. That afternoon he had send Alpha team , led by X-23 on a trip down to Los Angeles to bust up a gang who was selling mutant growth hormone. It was a pretty much cut and dry operation and once they had apprehended the criminals they turned them over to the cops. Unfortunately in the process of apprehending the criminals had not gone without a hitch. One of the drug dealing thugs had knifed Anole deep in his right thigh. Fortunately Anole had twisted his leg just in time and the knife had not hit a vital artery. But Anole was bleeding profusely and limping. X-23 had given him a tourniquet to stop the bleeding until they arrived home.

The Blackbird-1 touched into the hanger shortly after 2 am.

"Hey looks like the New Mutants are back," Surge said. X-23 turned and noticed that the Blackbird-2 which had been missing for almost a week was back in its' customary place. X-23 felt her heart give an involuntary jump with excitement. It meant that Cannonball was back. As much as she hated to admit it. She missed him terribly. She was beginning to regret her decision…

"Hey dude," Rockslide called to Anole, "Ready for a re-match?"

Anole turned to look at Rockslide.

"Naw man I'm tired," Anole said with a wave of his hand.

"Pussy," Rockslide teased.

Anole tensed.

"You really don't have a life," Anole said.

"Cluck, cluck, cluck," Rockslide teased.

"What are you guys talking about?" Mercury asked.

"A video game," Surge said dryly.

"Not just a video game," Rockslide said, "Call of Duty 10. The best video game ever. And one where I am beating Anole's skinny little ass."

"In your dreams!" Anole said whirling on Rockslide, "You are only ahead of me a couple of points."

"I'm still ahead of you," Rockslide grinned, "Unless you want to even up the score."

"You're on," Anole said slamming his fist into his open palm.

"After what we went through you guys want to spend the night playing a video game?" Mercury asked.

"Beating punks on the streets of L.A. doesn't compare to kicking Japanese tail in the Pacific during World War 2," Anole said.

"Hey!" Surge said offended. Surge was Japanese.

"Sorry," Anole said sheepishly.

"Whatever guys," Mercury said heading towards the door, "I have a paper to hand in for my History class, in six hours. And I'm still not even half way done."

"And I have a date with my bed," Surge said, "Night guys. Night Laura."

Anole and Rockslide hurried towards the exit. But X-23 cleared her throat.

Both young men turned around and looked at her.

"Viktor," she said.

"Yeah Laura?" he asked impatiently.

"You're forgetting one thing."

"What?"

"Your leg."

Anole looked down at his bleeding leg.

"It's nothing Laura. The bleedings already stopped. It'll heal on its own."

"Perhaps. But still I would like to see you bandaged up," Laura said.

"Dude, she wants to get into your pants!" Rockslide laughed, "Too bad you're not into chicks."

Anole gave him the finger.

"Come on," X-23 said taking Anole by the arm, "This will only take a few minutes. Then you can go and play your game."

X-23 and Anole went down into the infirmary. But X-23's attention was arrested when she glanced into one of the adjoining rooms and found Sam Gutherie lying on one of the hospital gurneys. She stopped and stared at him.

"I wonder what happened to him?" Anole asked.

"I..I don't know," X-23 replied numbly. She stood transfixed at the sight of Sam lying there.

"You want to see to my leg?" Anole asked.

"Oh of course," she replied. They went into one of the examination rooms and X-23 applied a bandage to Anole's leg. When she had finished Anole hoped off the table and made for the infirmary entrance. But he noticed that X-23 had stopped to look at the comatose Sam Gutherie.

"Hey Laura you coming up?" he asked.

She shook her head no.

"No," she replied, "I should remain here with Sam."

Anole glanced at Sam.

"You know he doesn't look like he's going anywhere. You really should get some sleep and see him in the morning."

"No…I want to be at his side," she replied.

Anole glanced at Sam again. He smiled knowingly.

"Okay then," Anole replied and left.

X-23 went inside the room where Sam slept. X-23 over to him and stood looking over him, studying his face. She reached over to stroke his blond hair back from his face. She noticed then that he had a small purple bruise on his cheek bone.

She touched his bruise with the tip of her index finger. For some reason she felt tears welling up in her eyes. If he had died….especially after their last fight…she did not know how she could live with herself.

"Sam.." she whispered softly, " Don't leave me.."

Seeing him like this all injured and made her heart ache. She bent over and kissed him on the forehead..then pausing kissed him on the lips.

"Sam," she said again softly. She kissed him on the lips and to her surprise, she felt his lips move beneath hers. Laura jerked her head up and found Sam's eyes wide open and looking up at her.

"Sam," she said breathlessly, "You're awake."

"Laura," he said. Sam's voice sounded hoarse and scratchy.

"I am right here Sam," she said.

"Laura," he said again. He reached up and grasping her around the neck pulled her down for a kiss. They kissed deeply for several minutes and then Laura pulled back. Laura pressed her forehead to his.

"Sam…I love you," she said softly. He pulled her head down to kissed her again. Laura found herself lying alongside him on the bed. Kissing him back. She stopped breathing hard. Sam was still staring at her. What was she doing? She thought. This was this was…. Wordlessly she stripped off her uniform and climbed up on the gurney and into Sam's waiting arms.

Laura awoke to hear the outside door open. She looked around wondering where she was for a minute. Sam was fast asleep beside her. She vaulted off the bed and scooping up her clothes dashed into the adjoining closet just before Hank McCoy came inside the room.

"How is my favourite patient this morning?" she heard him ask. There was a lengthy pause and she heard Beast say.

"You must have had quite the night. The bed sheets are in quite a mess."

It was a full half hour before Beast left. Laura left the closet and quickly put on her uniform, everything but her mask. She glanced at the clock on the wall and cursed. She would almost certainly be late for camp. She stopped briefly and kissed Sam on the forehead. She made her way towards the elevators when the door she saw all six of the New Mutants making their way towards them. Laura felt her temper flare as she remembered Sam's condition. Not trusting her reaction to them. Laura kept her head down and attempted to ignore them.

Amara and Doug said hello. But Laura did not respond.

"What's with you?" Dani asked, "Too good to say good morning?"

Laura stopped recalling the sight of the incapacitate Sam. She turned around and faced Dani.

"Not to someone so incompetent."

"What," Dani asked walking up to her.

"Are you deaf as well as incompetent?" Laura asked.

"What the hell is wrong with you Missy?" Dani asked.

"You are my problem all of you," Laura said coldly, "Sam Guthrie is clinging to life in the infirmary. While you are all fine. He is your leader, it was your job to protect him you let him down."

"What the fuck!" Dani snapped, "You haven't a clue what you are talking about!"

"Yes I do," Laura replied, "Cannonball is a good and a capable leader. If he failed it was because his team failed him. Especially you Moonstar. I do not understand why you are with the X-men when you have no powers and are so useless."

"Hold on," X'ian said walking up to Laura, "That is completely uncalled for."

"You're not even a mutant," Laura continued ignoring X'ian, her attention still focused on Dani, "

"I have more rights to be here than you. You little butcher. You filthy little who-."

It was then that Laura sprung into the air to stab her. She would have landed if Wolverine had not suddenly emerged from the men's locker room, a towel around his waist a cigar in the corner of his mouth.

"Okay that's enough!," Wolverine said coming in between them, "Stand down both of you."

"Sheath your claws Laura," he said. Laura reluctantly did so.

"What the hell is going on here?" Logan asked.

"She came flying at us," Amara said.

"You need to keep her on a leash Logan," Danielle said furiously, "She's dangerous with those claws."

"Is this true?" Logan asked turning to Laura.

"They…they almost let Sam die," Laura mumbled.

"The hell we did!" Amara snapped.

"You know what," Roberto said, "It was your fault."

"What?" Laura asked.

"Sam did one of the stupidest maneuvers I have ever seen. I know he can be reckless. But he's a good leader. I saw you two fighting when you came off the plane. Sam was distracted the whole mission. That is why he messed up so badly."

"That's a big assumption DaCosta," Logan said, "You have no proof of that."

"Just the same as she has no proof that we are responsible for Sam's injury," Dani said lunging at Laura again. But Logan held her back.

"Enough of this all of you!" Logan yelled, "I want you guys to turn around and go on about your business. Laura you will stay with me. This is the last I want to hear about this subject. We're X-Men. We work as a team. No more fighting. Got it?"

The New Mutants and Laura stood there glowering at on another.

"Got it?" Logan asked harder.

There were a few lackluster murmurs of the word 'Yes'.

"Good," Logan said, "Now I want you to all shake hands."

"What?" Dani exploded.

"No," Laura said bluntly.

"Do it guys. Or I will make you," Logan snapped.

Laura mechanically held out her hand and Dani slapped it.

"Now that we are all pals again. We should go out and have a drink tonight," Logan said.

"I have to pack for my trip," Laura said.

"What trip?" Logan asked ruffling his brows.

"I'm going to England this evening. Remember?" Laura said slightly annoyed, " I told you last week. I am going to the awards dinner for the Rhodes Scholarship. I thought that you were going to join me?"

"Oh yeah that," Logan said, "Sorry kid. I gotta go to New York. Captain America wants a big pow wow for the Avengers. Brass from Washington is supposed to show up there too. And Cycke wants to make sure that I am there as well to show how cute and cuddly mutants are."

"You cuddly?" Doug scoffed.

"My Mom said I was the cutest baby she ever saw," Logan said grinning hard, " But this doesn't mean that you guys are off the hook. When Laura gets back from her trip I expect dinner and drinks."

"Yeah old man whatever," Dani said. The New Mutants moved off in the direction she was going.

"Hell that woman is such a bitch," Logan said staring after Dani.

"Yes she is," Laura replied, She turned to Logan.

"Logan I am very disappointed that you won't be coming. You encouraged me to lead a normal life."

"Can't be helped. Next time. Why don't you ask Guthrie. He is your guy after all isn't he? You just fought a dual in his honour."

"Sam….Sam is in the infirmary," Laura said hanging her head.

"You sure that's it?"

"Yes," Laura said looking at Logan her gaze unflinching.

"Then ask Foley or one of those other idiots who follow you around like lost puppies," Logan replied moving back towards the men's locker room, "We'll party hard when you get back from overseas. Trust me kid I'll make it up to you big time. In the meantime stop getting into fights and doing dumb shit."

"Okay," Laura said nodding.

When Sam drifted awake the next day the first thing he recalled was a dream he had of him and Laura being together. In fact the dream had been so real and so vivid that he swore that he could still feel the taste of her on his tongue...the sensation of her skin against his…the smell of that heady perfume 'Play' she always wore in the air.

"Laura?" he asked hopefully.

"Sorry. Only me," came an amused masculine voice. Sam looked in the direction of the voice and found Cyclops sitting in a nearby chair his legs crossed and holding an electronic tablet.

"Hi Scott," he said struggling to sit up.

"Hey easy…" Cyclops said putting down the tablet on a nearby stand and rising to his feet.

"How are you doing?"

"As if I was hit by a Mack truck," Sam said.

"Well that's to be expected when you go toe to toe with Abomination."

"Well he was about to pulverize a group of US service men. I had to do something."

"Charging in like a rhino wasn't what you needed to do Sam," Cyclops said, "You're supposed to work with your team remember?"

"Yeah I know but…" Sam shrugged, "You know how it is."

"Not really," Cyclops said, "I know that you can be a hot head. But this one was even beyond your usual antics."

"I just got caught up in the moment. That's all."

Cyclops tried a different tack.

"You're a good guy Sam. You're very moral. And I appreciate that."

"You think that I'm too emotional," Sam sulked.

"Sometimes," Cyclops admitted, "But it can be a good thing. I don't expect you to be some unfeeling automaton."

"But the fact is I screwed up badly on this mission."

"You made a mistake. But Magma told me that the job got done that's what counts."

"Yeah," Sam said brightly, "I just can't wait to get out there again."

"Not yet. Not until you get better and get more training," Cyclops voice trailed off as if he realized that he had said the wrong thing.

"What do you mean more training?" Sam asked sharply.

"Nothing," Cyclops said, "We'll discuss it when you're on your feet again."

"No we won't," Sam said abruptly, "We'll talk about it right now. I want to know what more training you think I need?"

Cyclops looked at him and sighed.

"Okay then Sam," Cyclops said, "You need more training to function under stress and when your emotions are high."

"Bullshit."

"Sam you know that you need more training in mental focus. You brought it up before."

"I said that I screwed up. It won't happen again."

"And how do you know that."

"Look I was upset over a…a problem. But the problem's resolved."

"What problem?"

"A personal one."

"Yeah I know that," Cyclops said. He paused, "Does this have to do with X-23?"

Sam paused for a moment.

"It's nothing Scott. That's over and done with."

"Doesn't sound like it," Cyclops asked, "Considering the fact that you called out her name as you came to."

"It was nothing Scott," Sam said tightly. He recalled the fast and furious sex they had in the mining facility and the way that Laura just brushed him off afterwards, "Just a force of habit."

"What about the next time?"

"There won't be a next time."

"Yes there will. There'll be another time you'll be upset over something and sent on a mission. I know it and you know it as well. Sam when you are on your feet again. I am ordering you to report for a weekly one hour session with Professor Xavier."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'm revoking your leadership of The New Mutants."

"Come on Scott!" Sam exploded.

"This is for your own good and the good of the X-Men Sam. I need you to be at your best and you can't be at your best if you can't control your emotions."

Cyclops picked up his tablet.

"In the meantime get some rest," Cyclops said and left the room.

And with that Cyclops left the room. And Hank McCoy entered wearing a white lab coat and his spectacles. He looked like a giant cat with blue fur.

"Well that was some speech," Beast said, "How are you doing this afternoon?"

"Did I get any visitors while I was out?" Sam asked changing the subject

"Yes," Henry said, "Mostly the New Mutants. I also saw Domino, Elizabeth and Nathan. And Bobby Drake dropped by as well."

"Yeah well I can see that Drake came by," Sam said picking up the stack of Playboys that sat on the night table beside him. He flipped through one of them.

"Did anyone else come by?" Sam asked without raising his eyes to look at Hank.

Beast paused for a moment.

"Are you referring to Laura Kinney?"

Sam looked up at him.

"Yeah," he said softly.

Beast paused remembering the sweet smell of woman's perfume and the musky smell of sex that had permeated the infirmary when he had entered that morning. He had sensed that someone was in the closet behind him. But he dared not open it. He did not want to know what had just taken place.

"I haven't seen her down here since you were admitted."

"Oh," Sam said crestfallen.

"But you're on the mend," Beast said cheerfully.

"Speaking of which," Sam said, "When am I free to leave?"

"You're still weak," Beast said, "I'd like to keep you one more night for observation."

Sam spent the rest of the afternoon in the infirmary. He tried watching a little tv, then reading Drake's magazines. But he just couldn't focus. All he could think about was being reprimanded by Cyclops and the fact that the he had to see the Professor. As much as he had disagreed with what Cyclops had said. He knew that the older X-Man was right. Sam's accident with the New Mutants was due to a lack of concentration and rage. Rage and frustration about the situation with Laura. The fact that she had just dumped him and the fact that she refused to let him know what was bothering her. She didn't even have the decency to come and visit him in the infirmary while he was convalescing showed how much she really cared about him. Which he guessed was not that much. Sam resolved right there and then to be done with her.

Later that evening after Hank had bid him goodnight and gone up stairs to his quarters. Sam climbed out of the infirmary bed. Put on a house coat and climbed the stairs back to his bedroom. He sat in his old leather chair and tried to read. But found that he was unable to focus. So he put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and grabbed the keys to his truck. Figuring that he might as well go into town and distract himself with a game of pool at the local sports bar. He was on his way downstairs, when he heard the sound of Roberto DaCosta laughing loudly from one of the nearby lounges. He stuck his head in the door and noticed that a group of his team mates were sitting around a table playing cards. While a group of the younger X-Men, including Viktor, Santo and Nezhno were stationed on a couch thoroughly engrossed in a video game. There were open boxes of pizza scattered around the room.

Sam walked over to the New Mutants.

"Hey guys," he said.

"When did you get out of the infirmary?" X'ian asked.

"About half an hour ago," Sam said. He took a slice of pepperoni pizza and bit into it. It pretty much killed his diet for the day. But then again Laura Kinney wasn't around to drool over his abs.

"How's it going buddy?" Doug asked.

"Fine," Sam said.

"Pull up a chair and have a slice of pizza," Amara said.

"I was about to go into town and shoot some pool at Smokey's," Sam replied, "You guys know where Drake is?"

"It's Guido's last night in town," Roberto said, "So Bobby, Piotr and Shiro took him to Larry Flynts."

"Man you guys are pigs," Yanna said making a face.

"You're just jealous," Doug replied.

"Whatever!" Yanna scoffed.

"They went to Flynt's?" Sam asked. Larry Flynt's Hustler club was one of the more famous strip clubs in San Francisco.

"Yep," said Doug sipping his coke.

"So why didn't you two go?" Sam asked Roberto and Doug.

"We just go back from a little mop up job that Cyclops asked us to run in Oregon," Doug said, "By time we got back home they guys were gone. Besides we're beat," Roberto said.

"I thought that it was just a mop up job?" Sam asked.

"Well that's what Cyke said," Danielle said, "Until the fucking Glop appeared out of nowhere."

"The Glop?" Sam asked, "Isn't that supposed to be one of the Hulks enemies?"

"Yes," X'ian replied, "Turns out that he was living in some mountain. We had to subdue him until the Avengers showed up."

"And we received no thanks for it," Doug said.

"No…" X'ian said, "Captain America did thank us."

"You mean after Amara begged him for his autograph and offered to-," Roberto began.

"Oh shut up," Amara said hitting him hard

"I mean seriously the way you had your mouth open," Roberto laughed.

Amara hit him again.

"You know we almost didn't do the mission at all," Danielle said.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"That girlfriend of yours is one psycho bitch," Danielle said taking a bottle of Jack Daniels out of her pocket and taking a swig. There was supposed to be no drinking of alcohol at the complex or in the common rooms. But most teams ignored the rule, "She almost killed us."

"Shut up!" Yanna said, "We promised Logan we wouldn't talk about it."

"Screw him," Dani scoffed, "He's the reason she gets away with murder around here."

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Sam asked angrily, "What do you mean Laura almost killed you?"

"She accused us being incompetent and almost allowing you to die," X'ian said.

"Then she attacked us," Danielle said shaking her head, "She came after me with those fucking sharp claws."

"Laura really said that?" Sam asked shocked.  
"Yes," Amara said, "Can you imagine that? Her accusing us of being incompetent. We're senior X-men!"

"I don't know what to say," Sam began, "That really doesn't sound like Laura."

"Well maybe she was suffering from PMS," Roberto said, "Isn't that the case ladies?"

"Shut up Bobby," X'ian snapped at him.

"I should go and talk to her," Sam said pushing back the chair.

"Too late," Doug said taking the bottle away from Danny and pouring the whisky into his coke can.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"We overheard her tell Logan that she was leaving for England today. She's probably already gone," X'ian said.

"Hey, hey," Dani said laying down her cards triumphantly, "Looks as if I beat you losers again."

"You cheat Moonstar," Doug spat.

"Deal with it bitch," Dani grinned.

"Hey Guthrie," Viktor called over from where he sat.

"What?" Sam asked turning his attention towards the couch.

"Did you see Laura off?" Viktor asked his gaze fixed on the screen.

"No," Sam said glumly.

"Oh I thought that you would have considering the way she was making on over you in the infirmary."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked startled. Viktor half twisted his body towards Sam his eye still on the screen.

"My leg got torn up by some gang banger in LA the night before last. So when we got back Laura took me down to the infirmary to get bandaged up. That's when she saw you lying there on the gurney. She was really bent out of shape and all worried. She even refused to go back upstairs with me after she finished stitching me up," Viktor said, "She said that she wanted to be at your side."

"Where did you guys meet her?" Sam asked turnging to the New Mutants.

"In the hall," Amara said turning around, "Just outside the infirmary. Now that I think of it she was still wearing her X-man uniform."

"Yep," Viktor said, "It sounds as if she was with you all night."

"How about that!" Doug laughed, "The Ice Princess is a nurse."

"Shut up Doug," Sam snapped at him. He reached inside of his pocket for his phone.

"You really are going after her aren't you?" Danielle asked incredulously.

Sam ignored her and went into the hall and proceeded to call Laura's phone number but there was no answer. He wondered if she had landed in England yet. He had to find out how to contact her. He thought and stopped for a moment. And thought of Emma Frost, she would know how to get in touch with Laura. She took care of most of the administrative functions at Greymalkin. Sam rushed down to the administrative wing of the complex where various members had their own offices. He opened the door to her office to find that it was empty. He guessed that she must have gone out with Scott. But the light on her desk was still on. Sam guessed that she must have forgotten to turn it off. He began to riffle through the drawers flipping through what he thought were address books.

"Ahem,"

He looked up over by large terrace window and saw Emma Frost standing there. She was wearing a white blouse and a white skirt and stilettos.

"Aw..hi Emma…I didn't know you were there."

"Obviously," she said, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm looking for contact information for Laura in England. She's not answering her phone. And I know that you booked her trip."

"That's right," Emma said walking over to her desk. Sam quickly moved out of her way and she took a seat behind her desk.

"Why don't you have a seat," she said gesturing to the chair across from her desk.

"Okay," Sam said moving around to an empty chair across from her desk.

Sam remembered the first time he had been summoned to her office at the Hellfire club. Sam and some other flunky had broken an expensive Ming vase during a rowdy game of chase they had embarked on through the mansion. Emma had taken hold of his mind and had dragged him into her office for a lecture. He barely remembered what she had said. He had been so focused on her outfit. It was a white bustier that was laced up at the front, and which barely concealed her ample breasts. The whole time she had riding crop in her hands which she tapping into the palm of her left hand. All he remembered was her hoity-toity Yankee accent mixed with something out of British comedy and the way her breasts heaved beneath the bustier.

Sam could hardly believe it when he found out later on that she was only slightly older than him.

"I thought that you would be out partying with everyone else. I thought you guys liked to have dinner in town on the weekends."

"Yes that's true," Emma replied, "However due to our last adventure."

Sam knew she was referring to the X-Men fighting Hell's Bells in Chile.

"Besides I am not a party person. I usually use Saturday evenings as a time to go over financials. I was just taking in some fresh air."

"Financials for what?"

"For Frost International. I run a company remember?"

"You still run that?"

"Yes I do. Someone has to pay for the upkeep on this building and all the hungry mouths. Saving the world is expensive."

"But I thought that Warren and the Professor took care of that stuff."

"Yes and Storm as well..Or at least her husband helps. But paying allows me some leverage in what goes on. Besides the team needs someone who is levelheaded amongst all these idealists.

I was just getting some fresh air when you showed up."

"Sorry about that," Sam said sheepishly.

Emma waved dismissively.

"When did you get out of the infirmary?"

"About half an hour ago. I wasn't officially released. But I was just tired of lying down."

"I see," she replied, "Would you like something to drink?"

"What do you have?"

"Let me see what I can scare up," she rose to her feet and turned to a white chestnut that stood behind her. She opened it and brought out a decanter of brown liquid and two crystal glasses. She placed them on the desk and poured.

"I hope you don't mind," she said, "I understand that you are partial to Kentucky Whisky. But all I have is Glenlivet. I'm afraid I acquired a taste for it while I was studying in England."

"That's okay," Sam said anxiously.

"Then here you go," Emma said passing him the glass.

"You studied in England?"

"Yes I did. During my final year at Empire State I applied for a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford. And received one. I was over there for a year studying Psychology."

"Just like Laura's gonna do."

"That's right," Emma said nodding, "I understand she wants to be a teacher."

"Yeah."

"I saw Laura just before she left," Emma said slowly, "I actually thought that you would be joining her for the awards of this years Rhodes Scholars recipients. I was actually surprised when she informed me that Josh Foley would be her date. I thought that she would have wanted you at her side."

"We broke up," Sam said.

"Oh?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow, "When did this happen?"

"About two weeks ago."

"May I ask why?"

The last thing that Sam wanted to do was provide her with an explanation. But he figured that he owed her one since he had broken into her office. Besides he knew that she could easily get into his mind and extract it. Sam took a deep breath.

"Laura wanted me to join her in England full time, and serve with her on Excalibur. When I told her no. She broke it off with me."

"That sounds a bit extreme. And very unlike Laura," Emma said with a slight frown, "Did she give you a reason why?"

"She doesn't think long distance relationships can work. She thinks that they end badly."

"Some of them do," Emma admitted, "And some of them don't. It all depends on the commitment of both parties. Did you explain that to her?"

"Yeah I tried Emma," Sam said fiercely, "But she didn't believe me."

Emma paused and thought for a moment.

"Sam I think you should know that I was the one who arranged for Laura to join Excalibur while she was overseas. I know how important being an X-Man is to her and I did not want her to turn down the Rhodes scholarship because she was afraid she could no longer an X-man."

"Okay."

"You know that, technically you could join her full time and be a part of their team. It would give you greater international exposure, and you could be under the direct command of Captain Britain. I worked…briefly with Jamie. He is very good."

"Thanks Emma," Sam said, "But I like being here and being leader of the New Mutants."

She looked at him.

"Is that the only reason you won't join her?"

"Of course. What other reason would there be?"

"Well," Emma said with a shrug, "You just told me that Laura told you that she made plans for you to join her in England. I am just wondering if that would bother you."

"I don't understand what you're getting at."

"There is a difference between her having asked you and telling you Sam," Emma replied, "And if there is one thing I have noticed about you. You don't like to be pushed around and taken for granted."

Sam swallowed hard.

"I remember what happened when the Children of the Vault attacked us. And how that woman Serafina messed up your mind."

Sam stiffened.

"It's not a pleasant experience to be manipulated that way. Nobody likes to be taken advantage of like that. Especially someone such as yourself who prides himself on his independence. And then of course there is the speed of which you and she picked up with you and ditched Keller."

"That was different," Sam snapped, "You saw how badly Keller treated her."

"Yes I did," Emma replied, "Believe me I have wanted to see the back of Julian for a long time. But the fact of the matter he did a lot of heavy lifting for the team."

"So what are you getting at Emma?" Sam asked stiffly.

"I am just wondering," Emma said stopping to pour more Glenlivet inside her glass, "If your refusal of Laura has anything to do with that."

"No," Sam said stonily.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Sam wanted to say no, but then again he remembered that he was talking to a telepath.

"Maybe just a little bit," Sam admitted.

"Sam," Emma replied, "I understand where your resistance is coming from. But it is important for you to know and to understand that Laura truly loves you Sam and she leans on you."

"Did you go inside of her mind to get this?"

"No," she said taking a sip of her drink, "I did not have to. It was just behaviour I picked up from watching the both of you together. When she is around you, she is less stiff and less…on guard. She more relaxed. I think that she finds that you are the first person in a very long time who she can actually lean on and to be strong for her. I mean she could never lean on Julian Keller with his instability. She had to be strong for him. You are the one person she can rely on to be strong for her."

"I…I didn't know that," Sam stammered, "I don't know why she didn't say anything to me. I mean I tried to get her to open up."

"Well she probably misinterpreted your resistance to join her as you not feeling the same way she did."

"That's not it at all!" Sam said horrified.

"I know that," Emma said with a small smile, "So Sam…would you like to repair this?

"Yes!" Sam said eagerly.

Emma smiled and opened her desk drawer. She took out an envelope and passed it to Sam. He took it from her.

"What's this?" Sam asked opening it.

"It's your plane ticket to England and the receipt for a suit at Huntsman tailors on Savile Row."

Sam studied the contents carefully. His eyes lit up at the dates.

"But this suit was ordered four months ago!"

"Yes," Emma replied, "I knew that Laura would get the scholarship and thought that it would only be fitting that she have the man she loved and respected at her side."

Sam paused.

"But that would mean that you would know that…we'd still be together right now."

"Well of course," Emma said with a nonchalant shrug, "I could see how special you are to each other."

Sam exhaled deeply. He rose up out of his chair excited.

"Thank you for your help Emma.

"My pleasure," Emma replied.

Sam headed for the door.

"Um Emma?"

"Yes?"

"I have one question for you?"

"And that is?"

"If you're a Rhodes Scholar and all that. How did you end up being a part of the Hellfire Club."

Emma gave him a smile that did not quite touch her eyes.

"I think that you have a plane to catch Sam."

When Laura came out of the bathroom. She heard a knock at the door. Frowning she went to answer it and found Sam Gutherie standing there wearing a sports jacket, a white t-shirt, blue jeans and his customary motorcycle boots. He was carrying a leather rucksack in his hand and a suite cover in the other.

"Sam," she said horrified.

"Hello Sweetheart," he said brushing past her and entering the room, "Josh couldn't make it," he explained, "The Stepford Cuckoos took him shopping to L.A. and I decided to stand in for him.

He dropped the bag on the floor near the door and hung up the suit cover behind the door. He then turned to look around the hotel room and whistled.

"This nice big enough for both of us," he said looking around the room, "And the bed..it looks sturdy. We can have a lot of fun on this one."

Laura blushed.

"What are you doing here Sam?"

"I told you," he said sitting down on the bed. He bounced a few times, "Josh went shopping with the Stepfords. And I'm standing in for him, which I thought was right since I am your boyfriend."

Laura gaped at him.

"Sam we are no longer together."

"You mean officially. Yeah we broke up two weeks ago. Yet we've hooked up twice already. Three times if you count what happened in the infirmary."

Laura's mouth opened and closed.

"I..I don't know what you are talking about," she stammered.

"Oh I think you do," he said walking over to her, At first I thought that it was the anesthetic. But when I checked the security tapes for the infirmary….well then I knew that it was all amazingly real."

"Security tapes.." Laura said horrified. She had forgotten about them.

"Yeah, you know they are all over the complex. Including in the infirmary. Don't worry I had it wiped. But...I mean I'm glad that I can still get you off…even in a drug fueled state," he said, "But I would rather be sober."

"I..I'm sorry," Laura stammered.

"Don't be. We should fight and break up more often. I think we've had better sex in the last two weeks, than we have in the last four months of dating," he said approaching her, "Why did you do it?"

"I saw you lying there…and I bent down to kiss you. When you opened your eyes. You pulled my head down for kiss…things just progressed."

"They progressed huh? You see what happens when we are apart? Sam asked, "I have dumb one night stands. And you get into brawls. See we need each other."

"Do we really?" Laura asked hotly, "Because I find it hard to believe that is the case for both of us."

"You're talking about the girl on that video," Sam asked.

"It doesn't matter," she said dismissively.

"Yeah it does matter Laura, or your wouldn't be bringing it up again," Sam said evenly.

"Do not worry about it Sam," she spat, "I am not your problem."

"Yeah Laura you're not my problem," Sam said fiercely, "Just the same way that I wasn't your problem when you went after the New Mutants for almost letting me die."

Laura gapped.

"They weren't supposed to bring that up."

"No? I'm glad that they did. Because then I wouldn't know how crazy you are about me. And more to the point I wouldn't have come to understand what the real problem was."

"And that is?"

"I didn't get it before but I do now. You think that I abandoned you. Just like everyone else. And I'm here to show you that I haven't."

"What?"

"It was a mistake for me to not say anything that night at the restaurant. But you were so _insistent and I mis-read the signs."_

"What signs?"

"The signs that you really needed. I just thought that you were trying to boss me around andcontrol me. Why didn't you say something Laura?"

"Would it have made a difference?"

"Yeah it would have made a real difference," he said.

"Would you have agreed to join me in England?"

"Full time?" Sam asked, "No. But I would have come up with a compromise. But you were just so….bossy and I wasn't about to…"

Sam stopped talking thinking that he had said too much, and recalled Emma's words to him. But Laura must have taken his meaning.

"You weren't about to beg me not to break up with you?"

"No," Sam said, "I wasn't going to beg a woman to be with me who didn't want to be with me."

"That's not what I wanted Sam! Not at all!"

"I know," he said, "I know why you broke it off. Because you were afraid of what a separation in the fall would do to you. So you thought that it would be better to break it off then. Laura I really wish you had said something."

"I thought that you knew. I thought after all this time you knew," she said, "I told you before we began that I had never felt so close to anyone since."

"Yeah I remember that," Sam replied, "I just didn't realize how much you were leaning on me. Most of the time you act so self-sufficient. I didn't realize that you were really leaning on me."

"I did not want to say anything to you…I thought that you would have pushed me away.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"I thought that you would have been frightened."

"You mean you thought that I would see you as some sort of clingy and needy girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"No…no," Sam said softly taking her face in his hands, "That's the last impression I would have gotten from you."

He kissed her.

"I mean I respect you for your strength," he continued, "But sometimes I forget that you are really just fragile inside."

"I am sorry I pushed you away Sam," she said her voice trembling, "I really am. I just thought that if I said something you would have been scared off."

"That will never happen," he said thickly. He kissed her again.

"But I have to apologize as well," he said, "I would have probed much deeper. But I was…I guess I am so wrapped up from what happened with Serafina."

"You thought that I was using you the way she used you?" Laura asked horrified.

"Yeah I guess for awhile I did," he admitted, "And I guess for the longest time I still thought that you were just using me as an excuse to dump Keller."

"Is that what you really thought Sam?" she asked horrified.

"Yeah I did."

"I had no idea that you thought this way," she said.

"I guess that we both had communication problems," he said with a small smile.

"Oh Sam!" she exclaimed horrified, "How could you think that?"

"I just never been with a girl like you before?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're just so different. You're always so confident and sure of yourself. For a long time I thought that…"

"You thought that I was going to break up with you?"

"I guess," he said, "That eventually you'd move on to someone else."

"Sam is it because of what happened between you and me our first time in San Francisco?"

Laura sighed and pulled his head closer so that their foreheads were touching.

"I meant what I said, I had grown tired of Julian a long time before our weekend together. I only remained with him because I thought that was what everyone expected of me. And I guess that deep down inside I thought that I couldn't do any better. Until I met you."

Sam was speechless.

"You really mean that?"

"Yes," she said smiling, "And I promise you that I honestly will never hurt you intentionally ever again. What happened between you and me in San Francisco… will never happen with another man. I promise. If I have a problem…I will always come and tell you face to face."

"I will do the same with you."

"I am sorry I overreacted and pushed you away. It was wrong."

"We both overreacted," he said, "Emotions got in the way of finding an alternative. The fact that we can see each other frequently. We won't wait until your term breaks. I'll come over every three weeks."

"Okay," she said holding him tight.

"My God I love you so much," Sam said his voice broke, "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Find someone else."

"There is no one else like you. That's why I'm here."

"We have a lot of catching up to do," she said reaching for his belt. But he stopped her.

"Not yet..what time does this thing start?"

Laura glanced at the clock on the wall.

"In another few hours."

"Then we'll have to wait."

"What?" Laura asked shocked.

"The last three times we were together. Were just quickies. I don't want that with you. Not anymore and certainly not tonight."

He kissed her.

"I want it to be long and agonizingly slow on the bed. All night long. You think you can handle that?"

"I guess so," she laughed. They kissed again.

"Hey I have something for you," he said.

"What is it?" she asked.

Sam dug into his pocket and brought out the ring he had given her.

Laura's face lit up with happiness.

"Give it to me," she said breathlessly.

"Hold on," Sam said holding it out of her grasp.

"What?"

"I want you to promise me that you will always wear it. I mean always."

"I will," she said softly.

He took her hand and placed it on her left hand. Laura closed her fingers into a fist, and looked at it.

"You promise to never take it off?" Sam said thickly.

"Not unless you ask me for it back," she said.

"That won't every happen," Sam said. They kissed again and Sam reached down to undo her bathrobe.

"Sam I thought that you said we were going to wait," she admonished him playfully.

"I just wanted to give you a taste of what is to come," he replied.


End file.
